GOP Leaders React to NSBA Investigation

Last fall the National School Boards Association sent a letter to President Biden, calling for the Justice Department to use counterterrorism tools to investigate parents at school board meetings. Almost immediately, Attorney General Merrick Garland directed the FBI and U.S. Attorneys to launch a task force to target parents. Whistleblowers later told Congress that the FBI had created a unique “threat tag” to effectuate the Attorney General’s directive, which the FBI used to label at least dozens of parents as potential threats.

As the facts became more apparent, it became clear the premise of the investigation was orchestrated by senior officials in President Biden’s own administration. 

Today, the NSBA released the results of an internal investigation into the letter. The results of the investigation further confirms that America’s parents were the target of a coordinated political operation, all for doing nothing more than exercising their fundamental right to direct the upbringing of their children.

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, Judiciary Ranking Member Jim Jordan, Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer, and Education and Labor Ranking Member Virginia Foxx reacted to today’s NSBA investigation with the following statement:

“This report confirms that the Biden administration colluded with members of the NSBA to abuse the counterterrorism authorities of the federal government and investigate America’s parents. Within days of the NSBA releasing its September 29th letter likening parents to ‘domestic terrorists,’ President Biden even called the NSBA to thank them. The NSBA has since disavowed the letter and although the DOJ has failed to provide any evidence to justify launching an investigation on American parents, Attorney General Garland still refuses to rescind his anti-parent directive. 

“Our committees and task forces will be meticulously reviewing the 500-plus page appendix included in the report, but to be clear, this report remains incomplete. According to the report itself, ‘[t]o date, Counsel has not received any response to its request for cooperation and documents from the White House.’ Until full cooperation from the White House is received and all documents are provided and the Department of Justice rescinds its flawed and abusive directive, this matter will not be over. 

“After coping with two years of school closures, mandates, and disruptive learning for their children, America’s parents need support, not smear campaigns by the same people who were supposed to be helping get our schools back to normal. This entire episode remains an insult to parents. House Republicans are committed to continuing to investigate the collusion that occurred among the White House, the Department of Justice, the Department of Education, and leadership of the NSBA. Those who coordinated these unprecedented attacks on our families must be held accountable.”