Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday rebuffed Rep. Matt Gaetz pushing a conspiracy theory that the Department of Justice communicated and coordinated with prosecutors in Donald Trump's local criminal and civil cases.
“Well, I'm gonna say again: we do not control those offices. They make their own decisions,” Garland said during testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, responding to questioning from Gaetz, a Florida Republican.
“The question is whether you communicate with them, not whether you control them,” Gaetz replied.
Gaetz during the hearing had asked Garland whether the Justice Department would provide to the committee “all documents, all correspondence” between the DOJ and local prosecutors who have pursued civil or criminal cases against Trump: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who last week secured Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records; Fulton County DA Fani Willis, who charged Trump and his associates for their attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia; and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who successfully sued the Trump Organization for civil fraud.
“The offices you're referring to are independent offices of state,” Garland said, responding to Gaetz’s question.
“I get that, I get that. The question is whether or not you will provide all of your documents and correspondence. That's the question,” Gaetz said. “I don't need a history lesson.”
Gaetz went on to accuse Garland of “advancing the very dangerous conspiracy theory” by not committing to hand over documents and communications with the local prosecutors, despite them being separate from the Justice Department and there being no evidence of a coordinated scheme to prosecute Trump.
