This fall in Maryland Democratic primary is may 14 and a reminder all congressional news was csp now free mobile video app and watch house and senat floor debates, speeches hearings is born cspan now, wherever you get to ramp. The assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division houston park testifies now before us judiciary subcommittee and talks about the in hate crimes the u. S. Rejects claims of political bias in her department [background sounds]. The subcommittee will come to order and the chairs authorized to declare recess anytime and we welcome everyone todays hearing of the department of justice Civil Rights Division and with that we will have the pledge of allegiance with the gentleman from arizona leading is in the pledge of allegiance. Pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of america, to the republic for which it stands one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Without objection are calling from arizona will be able to process that hearing for purpose of questioning and if a member yields in time for that purpose level recognize myself earn Opening Statement. And i think our witness for being here today to Rise Division responsible for the enforcement of civil rights statute enacted by congress and related constitutional guarantees this an issue near and dear to my heart and i in previous life served in the department of justice having served as special of the United States attorneys astute and the district of texas my job there is when is michael is no is equally enforce law. My grandfather was a chief of police in sweetwater texas and his job was equally enforce the law grandmother with is thehe first woman elected county clerk and la county texas as my grandfather passed away from cancer my dad was 70 years old and her job was to enforce the wall pretty justices look must follow the facts, they may take us pretty like all components of the Justice DepartmentCivil Rights Division is expected to do the same equally enforce the law have virtually the Biden Administration, this is not always been the case pretty Civil Rights Division and site work for example of those charged with protecting us and Police Departments, and often harassing these departments to the point they cannot do their jobs. Theres been a series of investigations in the phoenix mount vernon new york, Louisiana StatePolice New YorkCity Police Department special Victims DivisionMaryland Department of state police, massachusetts Police DepartmentMemphis Police new jersey and mississippi. S, eleven times of the last few years, we have seen a significant disparity a few examples of how the doj Civil Rights Division is targeted those to protect our communities about the singer not circumstances meriting review. But in the midst of rising crime, putting Police Recruiting open borders mountains of fentanyl, doj is provided 40s entered small to midsize Police Departments and under president biden, deirdres open 11 back his investigation of the Police Departments throughout the country theress just one of te Previous Administration and combineded with fairly radical views of louisville talk about with defining the police in the past which raises concerns about the intent of such investigations especially in a time when police or demoralize following the defund the Police Movement in the crime wave that is followed in the divisions activities of also too often amounted to using the law to advantage or disadvantage certain states and individuals resemble the freedom of access to clinic interest ofhr base act and threats of force obstruction of Property Damage intended to interfere with Reproductive HealthCare Services in this law protects the Abortion Centers and houses of worship alike. And how are the divisions prosecutions of the pesach show significant bias for prosecuting these violations involving abortion clinics really situation involving charge of the base act protecting zeus on from belligerent abortion activist and a may 2nd 2022 a draft copy Supreme CourtDivision DecisionHealth Organizations to the press and is leaking gave rise to widespread demonstrations and attacks on prolifes facilities in fact following week 100 facilities were vandalized or damaged including bipartisan enter and 18 catholic churches have beened attacked since the dogs decision was leaked according to catholic voters and according to Family Research council there were 57 perverse next of hostility against churcheses from january 22 throh september of 22 and in the First Quarter of 23, the fiscal 23 there were 69 incidence of hostility towards the churches and in the face of this increase he would expose Civil Rights Division to step up and protect the civil rights of these americans but there were not an in 2022 the part of our 26 prosecutions ofbu the face, allf them involve the legends of abortion is incident 23, the department of his identified one prosecution of four individuals in florida is pretty prayed to the threat of a Pregnancy Resource Centers and state this was the first time in American History that the face act was using his pro abortion protesters have predict illustrated by other activities of the division in 2020 when the department lawsuit is aen statef georgia law enacted denying bridging the right of black georgians to vote on a count on bracer the problem is just not true the courts decision in the case today will rule that out recently the court abused to block several positions of the law withfu litigation continues notably the court found the department is not shown any of the provisions have an impact on n black voters by selling the facts on the ground do not match the allegations in the ildepartments lawsuit predict Te Department is devoting resources politically motivated lawsuit is missing in action Constitutional Rights are violated in september of this year from the mexico governor Michelle Gresham issued a Public Health order banning the otherwise awful caring of a asserted jurisdiction in the state this was clearly unconstitutional the second the 14th of them is in the Supreme Court that justified the violation of american rights of the Civil Rights Division was a were to be found avid department had to bring a lawsuit to overturn the Order Division failed to follow statement of interest to protect american Second Amendment rights and more easily than Civil Rights Department appears to be standing idly by when Jewish Americans have a civil rights violated by radical pro Palestinian Protesters and since moss a cowardly october 7th attack which murdered innocent israelis raped women coming kidnapped babies, antisemitism reared its head and working College Campuses throughout major American Cities and justice we can pro Palestinian Protesters in philadelphia outside of jewish owned restaurant with location was a mile away from Independence Hall the declaration of independence was signed division was nonpartisan second race for the consumer i would know theres an ongoing antisemitic threats and violence for the west. Antisemites pray jewish schools and tax on present so minnelli investigated as a hate crime in Burbank Police search for suspect is spraypainted swastikas and synagogues and jewish Enter University of florida, vandalized antisemitic graffiti cornell cancel classes after student christopher antisemitic threats of murder and rape of investigating after synagogue dissuade withcl anti israel semitic fee and that is eight Evelyn Charlie pages of examples antisemitic acts the week of october 7th ended his notable notable, that there has been basically silence. His true the most return protect the lives of all americans not just once a favor i look forward to hear how that will happen now recognize Ranking Member gentleman from pennsylvania. Pennsylvania ms. Scanlon for her Opening Statement. Thank you. Assistant attorney general clark, i want to welcome you to the Judiciary Committee and this very important oversight hearing to help the committee and the American Public understand the Critical Role that the Civil Rights Division of the department of justice plays in protecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of all americans. This hearing is particularly important since your predecessor refused the committees request for an oversight hearing amidst the Trump Administrations efforts to weaponize the department of justice in a way that w in a way that was unprecedented, under the administration we saw the leadership acting as the president personal attorneys repeating election disinformation, withdrawing support for Voting Rights another civil Rights Enforcement in reverse on decades ofre worko ensure that Law Enforcement agencies protect the rights of all americans. Under the administration we saw the normalization of hate speech, chaos and Political Violence which is tearing apart so many of our communities today thats why its so important that we understand the Critical Role of the department of justice civil rightsba divisionn combating civil rights violation in securing our fundamental freedom and what Congress Needs to do to support that mission at this time. And remembering that congress created the Civil Rights Act of 1957 to protect the Voting Rights of black americans and other minorities, the very genesis of the Civil Rights Division was rooted in the federal effort to protect Voting Rights and reflect the belief in a democracy the right to vote as a foundation on which all of the rights and freedoms ultimately rest v, these core civil rights and freedoms to cast a vote in a free and Fair Election regardless of race, the right to be free from discrimination in employment, housingusro and education and the right to be free from violence based on hate. I look forward at the Civil Rights Division has renewed its commitment to the principles under the current leadership. Under the Trump Administration we sell the civil rights advocates responsibility enforcement Voting Rights another civil rights protection for important to see a renewed division on vigorous civil Rights Enforcement. Understanding the right to cast a vote in a free and Fair Election is a foundation of alll rights. I appreciate the renewed focus on Voting Rights taking accented gioverreporting Voting Rights sense january 2021 ranging from voting related enforcement to filing statements of interest in private Enforcement Actions including pennsylvania. We continue to meet vigorous enforcement of the Voting Rights act as we seen a tsunami of restrictive voting and laws enacted by state over the past three years with the potential to impact the 2024 election. Of course much of the legislative activity stems from the Supreme Court erosion of the Voting Rights act of 1965 through a series of Jeff Sessions beginning with Shelby County versus holder and continuing with the Democratic National committee. These decisions made it harder and more resource intensive for the Civil Rights Division and other Voting Rights plaintiffs to prevail in enforcement action, there is a solutionn of course, that is Congress Must act and respond to the misguided decisions by reauthorizing the Voting Rights act and updating the guardrails of our democratic republic to respond to 21st century threats, we must pass the john r lewis voting act which would reinvigorate the Voting Rights act to deploy more resources to enforce the voting right protection. The Civil Rights Division bears responsibility for enforcing federal hate crime laws at a time but over the s past seven years we have seen an explosion of hate speech and Political Violence whether directed toward racial or ethnic minorities, women in lgbtq persons or members of religious groups all across the country, communities have been impacted by hate incidents as they trended upwards. Statistics compiled by the fbi showed even with imperfect reporting Law Enforcement agencies reported over 11000 hate crime incidents over 59 of the victims were targeted because of their race or ethnicity and another 17. 3 were targeted based on their religion and another 17 were targeted because of their Sexual Orientation. Of course an environment surrounding hamas terrorist attack on october 7 israels military response to the attack that weve seen increasing reports of antisemitism and is llama phobia including incidents of potential hate crimes. Also for decades the Civil Rights Division is plated Important Role in helping Law Enforcement agencies to keep the Community Safe and uphold the rule of law while protecting the civil rights of all citizens. One of the tools fordr doing ths is to work with communities to address patterns and practices a violation of Law Enforcement i tool that was abandoned by thehe Trump Department of justice and i look forward to hearing what progress has been made in this area. Thank you assistant attorney general clark for updating us on the work ofag the division and what Congress Needs to do to assist the division in the work. Thank you. I yield back. I now recognize the Ranking Member mr. Nadler for his Opening Statement should he care to give what. Thank you mr. Chairman. I would like to begin by thanking the assistant attorney general before appearing before the subcommittee. Unfortunately it is been several years since we had the opportunity to question the head of the department of Civil Rights Division, department of justice civil rights because general clarks immediate predecessor during the Trump Administration never appeared before us the department of invasion of the time because back then had nothing good to report to us as it practically advocated its responsibility to vigorously enforce our