by Bernard P. Lawson, The Chicago Times
November 15, 2021
WASHINGTON – According to Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee, an internal FBI email leaked by a whistleblower exposed that the counterterrorism unit is monitoring “threats” against school board members, despite Attorney General Merrick Garland’s denial.
According to the internal email, FBI’s counterterrorism and criminal divisions was instructed by leadership to monitor “threats” per the memo released by Garland on Oct. 4 that directed FBI and other federal agencies to address a “disturbing spike” in threats against school board members and other school officials.
“The purpose of the threat tag is to help scope this threat on a national level and provide an opportunity for comprehensive analysis of the threat picture for effective engagement with law enforcement partners at all levels,” the email states.
It continues by stating that when agents evaluate a potential threat, they should consider the motivation as well as whether there is a federal nexus or any federal violations that can be investigated and charged.
The F.B.I. stated on Tuesday that the establishment of a threat-tracking system for school-related issues was intended to deter violence, not to silence or intimidate parents with strong opinions. There was no comment to the question if FBI resources should be expended on what could be covered by local or state law enforcement.
Bernard P. Lawson, National Political Reporter/Columnist for The Chicago Times. Views and comments expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the official position of The Chicago Times.
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