WASHINGTON, D.C. - In light of the disturbing revelation that the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division created a “threat tag” based on Attorney General Merrick Garland’s October 4 memorandum, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and every Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee is demanding that Garland finally withdraw that memo and make clear that the law enforcement arms of the federal government do not equate concerned parents with domestic terrorists. 

“Since you issued your October 4 memorandum, all of us have received hundreds of letters and emails from our constituents who are angry and concerned about the idea that the FBI will be tracking what they say at local school board meetings,” the senators wrote.   

The senators continued, “Parents and other citizens who get impassioned at school-board meetings are not domestic terrorists. You may believe that, but too many people involved in this issue seem to think harsh words can be criminalized. Getting the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division involved in the matter only makes this worse—dramatically worse.”

The demand follows a letter from the senators sent three days after Garland issued his controversial memo, calling on the Attorney General to make it clear that parents will not be targeted for exercising their First Amendment rights. Garland failed to reassure parents either through a new announcement or in his testimony before the committee.   

Full text of the letter to Garland follows or can be found HERE. 

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