McConnell Wants Garland to Clarify His Memo Demonizing Parents Protesting Critical Race Theory

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Legal Insurrection

Telling elected officials they’re wrong is democracy, not intimidation.”

Mary Chastain

Monday, October 11, 2021

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell demanded AG Garland clarify his memo that told the FBI and other DOJ departments to investigate parents protesting critical race theory.

Garland cited threats. harassment, and intimidation as reasons for his actions. He never provided a specific example.

McConnell expressed concern about the memo because it could stifle parents’ freedom of speech.

“Parents absolutely should be telling what their local schools what to teach,” wrote McConnell. “This is the very basis of representative government. They do this both in elections and – as protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution – while petitioning their government for redress of grievance. Telling elected officials they’re wrong is democracy, not intimidation.”

However, McConnell noted that school boards and those who side with the school boards have threatened, harassed, and intimidated parents who don’t want critical race theory taught to their kids:

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On the other hand, in your own very backyard of Virginia, there have been shocking efforts by public officials to organize for the intimidation and harassment of parents who have the temerity to want a better education for their children. one Loudon County schoolboard member participated in a Facebook group that compiled a list of parents opposed to Critical Race Theory and discussed having their websites. It’s a situation where legal accountability is difficult because the Loudon County Prosecutor was also a member of the group seeking to “doxx” concerned parents. It’s exactly this kind of intimidation of private citizens by government officials that our federal civil laws were designed to prevent.

McConnell wants Garland to define harassment and intimidation at his upcoming hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. He also wants to know if he consulted with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, or the National School Boards Association before he issued the memo.

 

(Snip)