McCarthy threatens to probe Garland after Trump FBI raid

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) promised on Monday that if Republicans take back the chamber after November’s midterm elections, they will investigate the Department of Justice, telling Attorney General Merrick Garland to “clear your calendar.”

“I’ve seen enough. The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization,” McCarthy said. “When Republicans take back the House, we will conduct immediate oversight of this department, follow the facts, and leave no stone unturned.”

“Attorney General Garland, preserve your documents and clear your calendar,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy’s comments came hours after former President Trump confirmed in a lengthy statement that the FBI had raided his Mar-a-Lago residence, where he said agents “broke” into a safe.

A host of Republicans erupted after news of the raid, accusing the FBI of unfairly targeting the former president for political purposes. Trump himself lashed out at law enforcement, calling the raid “political persecution.”

The execution of a search warrant on a former president’s home is unprecedented and comes as the Justice Department continues to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and actions Trump took to attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss.

The National Archives also has reportedly asked the Justice Department to investigate after authorities recovered boxes of materials from Trump’s Florida home, which included materials he took from the White House that were considered classified. The New York Times reported that those materials appeared to be at the center of the FBI’s search.

The Department of Justice declined to comment.

Asked to respond to news of the raid, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show” that he would not comment further.

“Well, I know nothing about it other than what I’ve read like everybody else, so I think it’s wise for me to withhold comments until we learn more,” Schumer said.  

When host Rachel Maddow asked Schumer to respond to what she said was McCarthy “effectively threatening” Garland, Schumer said, “None of us know the facts, and any comments are premature.”

Olafimihan Oshin contributed.