Emails Reveal Biden White House Coordinated with DOJ Before Targeting Parents as ‘Domestic Terrorists’
by Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – Newly released documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that the Biden White House communicated with the Department of Justice before the issuance of a controversial 2021 memo that labeled concerned parents at school board meetings as potential “domestic terrorists.”
The revelations, published by America First Legal (AFL), a conservative legal group aligned with President Donald Trump, cast fresh doubt on Attorney General Merrick Garland’s claims that the DOJ acted independently when it directed federal law enforcement to address alleged threats against school officials.
At the center of the controversy is a letter sent by the National School Boards Association (NSBA) to the Biden administration in late September 2021, requesting federal intervention in what it described as a growing trend of threats and violence against school officials over issues such as COVID-19 restrictions, critical race theory, and LGBT curriculum. Days later, Garland issued a memo mobilizing federal resources, including the FBI, to assist local law enforcement in addressing the so-called threats.
However, internal DOJ emails suggest the White House was already engaged in discussions about how to respond before the memo was issued. In one Oct. 1, 2021, email, Tamarra Matthews-Johnson from the Office of the Attorney General forwarded NSBA-related press coverage to Deputy Attorney General aide Kevin Chambers. Chambers replied, “We’re aware; the challenge here is finding a federal hook. But WH has been in touch about whether we can assist in some form or fashion.”
Another key player in the internal discussions was Sparkle Sooknanan, then with the Associate Attorney General’s Office. On Oct. 2, she emailed DOJ attorneys seeking a quick-turnaround assessment of any civil rights statutes that could be applied to the situation. Despite warnings from DOJ career attorneys that nearly all the cited incidents were protected under the First Amendment or better handled under local laws, the department proceeded with Garland’s directive just two days later.
One DOJ attorney wrote on Oct. 3, “It appears to me that the vast, vast majority of the behavior cited cannot be reached by federal law… almost all of the language being used is protected by the First Amendment.” The attorney emphasized that the conduct described in the NSBA letter was “nothing remotely federal” and could be addressed with existing local statutes such as trespassing or disturbing the peace.
The NSBA eventually retracted its letter, and backlash was swift, with Republican lawmakers grilling Garland over what many viewed as an unprecedented attempt to chill dissent. Garland defended the DOJ’s actions by claiming the department acted independently of the White House–a claim the new emails appear to undercut.
Gene Hamilton, president of America First Legal and a former DOJ official, said in a statement, “The Biden Administration appears to have engaged in a conspiracy that was ultimately aimed at depriving parents of two fundamental rights — the right to speak, and the right to direct the upbringing of their children.”
Hamilton further alleged that the memo was politically motivated, designed in part to influence the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial race, where parental rights had become a central campaign issue.
Adding to the controversy is Sooknanan’s subsequent appointment as a federal judge by President Biden, raising further concerns about politicization within the DOJ. Her rushed weekend email appeared to spark the internal scramble to justify federal involvement, despite resistance from career legal professionals.
The revelations come amid broader scrutiny of the Biden administration’s interactions with the DOJ. Recent reports indicate increased coordination between the White House and the DOJ on politically sensitive matters, a shift from norms observed under prior administrations. Critics say this erodes the traditional separation meant to safeguard the impartiality of federal law enforcement.
“This is about the integrity of our democratic institutions,” said Hamilton. “For nearly four years, we’ve been working to expose these abuses–and we will not stop until those responsible are held accountable.”
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