This week, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing to conduct “Oversight of the National Security Division.” Our witness was Matthew Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
I questioned Mr. Olsen about a disturbing trend emerging in the DOJ’s efforts to detect and thwart domestic terrorism plots. Specifically, weeks before the 2020 election, the FBI announced it had foiled an alleged plot to kidnap the Governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer. Two years later, the story is quite different.
Two of the men charged were acquitted on grounds of entrapment. The jury was hung on two others, and their retrial begins next month.
It is clear from the current evidence that federal agents cooked up this operation, trained recruits to carry out the FBI’s plan, directed recruitment efforts, and incentivized the informants with handsome paydays in order to keep the plot moving forward – all on the taxpayers’ dime. It leaves an important question: Is this how the DOJ carries its operations?
The New York Times even admitted the FBI’s role had “muddled” the case. The agency relied heavily on 12+ informants and two undercover agents, who amounted to nearly half of the group being monitored.
Many details remain unknown, including two important questions: who approved this operation and who oversaw it?
The American people deserve answers. That’s why I questioned AAG Olsen about the way the DOJ is carrying out its business. He refused to answer important questions, including: Why did the DOJ announce the case so close to the 2020 election? How much did it cost?
The American people deserve answers.
