After a day of fiesty questions from Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee to corrupt Biden Attorney General Merrick Garland, ABC's World News Tonight and NBC Nightly News melted down with rage due to Republicans daring to hold Garland accountable for protecting President Joe Biden's crackhead son Hunter Biden and throwing the book at Donald Trump.
"Tonight, Republicans on the attack, accusing Attorney General Merrick Garland of running a weaponized Justice Department," ABC's chief justice correspondent Pierre Thomas wailed before adding: "The Attorney General clearly expecting the incoming barrage. On offense in his opening statement."
"Much of the Republican fire centered on the President's son Hunter," Thomas huffed. He then tried covering for Garland by making the lame excuse that the GOP was upset "despite the fact that Hunter Biden is being investigated by David Weiss, a U.S. Attorney initially appointed by Donald Trump and appointed special counsel by Garland himself, giving Weiss more Independence than a typical federal prosecutor."
Later on, Thomas was outraged that New Jersey Republican Congressman Jeff Van Drew confronted Garland on his attacks on religious liberty by targeting Catholics for their faith:
THOMAS: The 5 1/2 hour hearing at times testy and personal. At one point, a Republican congressman suggesting that Garland approved the targeting of Catholics for unfair investigation. Garland, who often speaks emotionally of the anti-semitism his grandparents faced, was indignant.
GARLAND: The idea that someone with my family background would discriminate against any religion is so outrageous, so absurd.
NBC Nightly News was just as bad. Anchor Lester Holt kicked off the broadcast whining that "Attorney General Merrick Garland faced a gauntlet of tough questions and accusations. Much of it centered on whether his office has put a thumb on the scale in the special counsel investigation of President Biden's son, Hunter. Garland testified in a contentious hearing before the House Judiciary Committee."
Correspondent Ryan Nobles then hyped how Garland was "firing back at Republicans accusing him of weaponizing the Justice Department."
The only one of the three networks to have fair coverage of the hearing was CBS Evening News and that was due entirely to former Fox News correspondent Catherine Herridge giving the report.
The transcripts are below. Click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
9/20/2023
6:30:41 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: The contentious hearing on Capitol Hill. The House Judiciary Committee questioning Attorney General Merrick Garland. Republicans accusing him and prosecutors of weaponizing the Department of Justice. Garland pushing back. And there was a moment when this turned deeply personal today. The Attorney General expecting the tough questions in this political climate. In his prepared remarks today, before the questioning rejecting what critics have said, saying he is not, quote, the President's lawyer, nor is he, quote, Congress's prosecutor. ABC's chief justice correspondent Pierre Thomas leading us off from Washington tonight.
PIERRE THOMAS: Tonight, Republicans on the attack, accusing Attorney General Merrick Garland of running a weaponized Justice Department.
REP JEFF VAN DREW (R-NJ): Never in my life would I thought that I would see such a politicized DOJ. Never in my life would I thought I would see such a Department of Justice that didn't obey their own rules.
THOMAS: But the Attorney General clearly expecting the incoming barrage. On offense in his opening statement.
ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GARLAND: Our job is not to take orders from the President, from Congress. I reaffirm today, I am not the President's lawyer. I will add, I am not Congress's prosecutor.
THOMAS: Much of the Republican fire centered on the President's son Hunter, despite the fact that Hunter Biden is being investigated by David Weiss, a U.S. Attorney initially appointed by Donald Trump and appointed special counsel by Garland himself, giving Weiss more Independence than a typical federal prosecutor. Today, Republicans claiming that Hunter Biden is getting preferential treatment even though nearly a week ago, he was indicted on felony gun charges.
REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): What stage are we in? We are in the beginning stage? The middle stage, the end stage? They keep hiding the ball stage? What stage are we in?
GARLAND: I think this one. I would go back to the videotape where I said, I'm not permitted to discuss ongoing investigation.
JORDAN: Well, isn't that convenient?
THOMAS: The 5 1/2 hour hearing at times testy and personal. At one point, a Republican congressman suggesting that Garland approved the targeting of Catholics for unfair investigation. Garland, who often speaks emotionally of the anti-semitism his grandparents faced, was indignant.
GARLAND: The idea that someone with my family background would discriminate against any religion is so outrageous, so absurd.
NBC Nightly News
9/20/2023
6:31:50 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: The nation's top law enforcement official, Attorney General Merrick Garland faced a gauntlet of tough questions and accusations. Much of it centered on whether his office has put a thumb on the scale in the special counsel investigation of President Biden's son, Hunter. Garland testified in a contentious hearing before the House Judiciary Committee. Republicans pressing him on whether Garland has meddled with the work of special counsel David Weiss who was handling the Hunter Biden case. Biden was recently charged with three gun-related counts. Garland also facing questions about the indictments of former President Donald Trump, and Republican claims that the indictments were politically motivated. Garland telling the hearing, no one has told me to indict, insisting the decisions were made by special counsel Jack Smith.
[...]
RYAN NOBLES: Tonight, Attorney General Merrick Garland firing back at Republicans accusing him of weaponizing the Justice Department.
ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GARLAND: I am not the President's lawyer. I will add, I am not Congress's prosecutor. The Justice Department works for the American people.
NOBLES: But Republican lawmakers grilling Garland over what they call a two-tiered justice system.
REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): There's one investigation protecting President Biden. There's another one attacking President Trump. Justice Department’s got both sides of the equation covered.
[...]
NOBLES: Weiss has denied the whistle-blowers' accounts. Democrats today calling the hearing a political stunt.
REP. MADELINE DEAN (D-PA): This is a gross misuse of your time, your team's time, and our time. It is a shameful circus.
NOBLES: With Garland slamming GOP criticism.
GARLAND: Singling out individual career public servants who are just doing their jobs is dangerous, particularly at a time of increased threats.
