Republican House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan announced Tuesday the U.S. Department of Justice’s investigation into the arrest and treatment of Blaze News investigative journalist Steve Baker for his coverage of the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. started.
Independent Journalist Briana Morello Posted Jordan’s scathing letter dated March 12 to Matthew Graves, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia:
What does the letter say?
Jordan’s letter expressed “grave concerns” about the Justice Department’s “selective prosecution” of Baker’s March 1 arrest in Dallas and “the department’s commitment to journalists’ First Amendment rights.” Outlined.
The letter says that while no other journalists who were at the Capitol on January 6 have been charged, the Justice Department still decided to indict Baker, who had been critical of the federal investigation and prosecution related to January 6. It points out that it did.
The letter also quotes Baker’s attorney as saying that the Justice Department “cannot decide which reporting it likes or which reporting makes it uncomfortable and take prosecutorial action based on that determination.” ” he pointed out.
The letter goes on to say that the Justice Department “deviated from practice” by indicting Baker “when he voluntarily surrendered,” and “subjected him to a formal arrest, meaning that the FBI fingerprinted him, photographed him, and… It appears that he was handcuffed and confined.” He was transported to the courthouse in the back seat of an FBI vehicle and brought before a magistrate in “belly chains, box handcuffs, and leg shackles.” ”
The letter also says that in Baker’s long career, he has never seen the FBI do anything like this with other people charged with misdemeanors.
The letter also states that “this conduct amounts to harassment and selective treatment of disadvantaged criminal defendants,” and that the Department of Justice violates its “mission of equal justice under the law.” He added that the act “criminalizes politics and weaponizes the regime.” of Justice. ”
The letter also criticizes President Joe Biden’s administration, citing concerns about its “commitment to equal application of the law.”
The committee’s ranking member, Democratic U.S. Representative Jerry Nadler of New York, was copied in the letter.
What is Jordan demanding?
In his letter, Jordan requested that Graves provide the following by no later than 5 p.m. on March 26:
- All documents and communications related to Baker’s arrest.
- All documents and communications related to the investigation, prosecution, and arrest of other journalists who covered January 6th.
- All documents and communications related to the Department of Justice’s decision to require pretrial detention of defendants charged in connection with January 6th, and defendants who are currently or were in pretrial detention on January 6th.
Jordan’s letter concludes by reminding Graves that the Judiciary Committee has “oversight authority” over the Department of Justice on matters “related to civil liberties.”
What is the initial reaction?
Mr Baker said in a statement to Blaze News on Tuesday night:
“Brianna Morello’s advocacy for the innocent and over-prosecuted and over-persecuted defendants of January 6th is tireless and unparalleled. What you see is just a glimpse of what she does behind the scenes.
“I would like to thank Congressman Jim Jordan for not only recognizing my fight, but for demanding full transparency in the Department of Justice’s prosecution of all J6 cases. I am blessed with the position I have been given. However, we intend to use this attention to shine a light on all those who have been wronged by the Department of Justice’s unprecedented weaponization, double standards, and selective prosecution. .”
Blaze Media Editor-in-Chief Matthew Peterson added the following statement to Blaze News:
“All Americans should welcome this investigation. As Congressman Jordan points out, what is at stake here is the American principle of equal justice under the law. is not a partisan issue. If the Justice Department is allowed to selectively target journalists who criticize it, press freedom will be lost and the slow death of journalism in America will be complete. It will end in
“Although he was not working for us at the time, Mr. Baker has nothing to hide. We created a video of him at the Capitol on January 6th.”thPublicly for all Americans to decide for themselves. Similarly, the American people have a right to know the truth about how and why the Department of Justice decided to treat Steve Baker as a criminal. ”
This is a developing news article and will be updated accordingly.
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