The Justice Department on Friday told Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, that information on ongoing investigations is off limits, reports Politico.
Jordan, who leads the House Judiciary Committee, recently demanded documents from Attorney General Merrick Garland regarding the discovery of classified documents at President Joe Biden's home and office.
The communication came a day after Garland named a special counsel to look into the potential mishandling of sensitive materials.
"Consistent with long-standing policy and practice, any oversight requests must be weighed against the department's interests in protecting the integrity of its work," Carlos Uriarte, DOJ's legislative affairs chief, wrote in the five-page letter.
"Long-standing department policy prevents us from confirming or denying the existence of pending investigations in response to congressional requests or providing nonpublic information about our investigations."
Still, the department pledged to accommodate lawmakers' requests when possible, quoting former President Ronald Reagan.
"As President Reagan explained in his 1982 directive on responding to congressional requests for information, the 'tradition of accommodation' should be 'the primary means of resolving conflicts between the branches,'" the letter said.
"We are available to engage in staff-level meetings to determine which information requests incorporated into your recent letters reflect the committee's current priorities in light of prior department responses and disclosures," Uriarte added.
Jordan in his request suggested the Biden administration was “stonewalling.”
"House Judiciary Republicans are committed to holding each agency accountable under the new majority and will use compulsory processes, if necessary, to get answers for the American people," he added.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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