Rep. Jordan Urges Subpoenas of DOJ, WH, School Boards Group Over Alleged Parent Threat

After harsh criticism of the FBI and Justice Department attorneys for investigating local school board protests, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is calling on the House Judiciary Committee to subpoena officials from the Biden administration and National School Boards Association.

"We are investigating the troubling attempts by the Department of Justice and the White House to use the heavy hand of federal law enforcement — including federal counterterrorism tools — to target concerned parents at local school board meetings and chill their protected First Amendment activity," Jordan wrote in a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., on Thursday.

"Since October, we have sent several letters to the Biden administration and the National School Boards Association (NSBA) requesting documents and information necessary for our investigation. To date, we have received no responsive material. Therefore, pursuant to committee rules, we ask that you notice consideration of subpoenas for these documents at the next business meeting."

Jordan levied claims the administration "colluded with a special interest group" in the open letter to President Joe Biden that sparked the Attorney General Merrick Garland's much-scrutinized memo to lay out ways to "investigate and prosecute" local school board protests.

"This information is scandalous and we have good reason to believe that the Biden administration and the NSBA possess additional material that is necessary and important for our investigation," Jordan's letter added. "To date, we have requested documents and information from the Justice Department and its components, the Education Department, the FBI, and the NSBA.

"None of these entities have cooperated with our requests or have engaged with us in any constructive manner toward fulfilling our requests. We have also repeatedly asked that you convene hearings on the Biden administration's targeting of parents, but you have failed to act."

Jordan pointed to the charges in hunting the Trump administration officials on the now-debunked Russia collusion allegations.

"Last Congress, when you aggressively pursued politicized and debunked allegations against President Trump, you promised that the committee would 'not rest' until it obtained the material it sought," Jordan added in the letter. "We ask that you remain consistent in applying this standard."

Among the subpoenas sought by Jordan are NSBA President Dr. Viola Garcia, Attorney General Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. Draft subpoenas for those officials were included with Jordan's letter.

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