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Texas Rep. Chip Roy, R., pushed back on Wednesday against claims that the controversy surrounding a letter from the National School Boards Association to the Biden Administration, requesting the federal government use the PATRIOT act to look into parents protesting at school board meetings, were made up.
Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., called the controversy "made up," saying that Republicans were using it to win elections.
"This made up story about calling parents terrorists is so politically powerful … even if they know it’s not true, they just keep using it," he said during a House Judiciary Committee hearing.
"Let’s talk about what’s not made up," Roy fired back. "On Sep. 29, the National School Boards Association sent a letter to President Biden equating concerned parents voicing their opinion at school board meetings as domestic terrorists and encouraging the administration to exercise its authorities under the PATRIOT Act."
MAN BEHIND INFAMOUS NSBA LETTER SAYS ORGANIZATION'S LEADERS ‘COMPLETELY BACKSTABBED’ HIM
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)
The NSBA's infamous letter to the Justice Department in September 2021 asked for federal government to investigate parents protesting at school board meetings, saying school officials were facing threats and violence at meetings. The letter requested actions should be examined under the PATRIOT Act as domestic terrorism. The NSBA later apologized for the letter's language.
A recent independent review found the NSBA letter was even more extreme in draft form, calling for the deployment of the Army National Guard and the military police to monitor school board meetings.
National School Boards Association apology regarding letter it sent to the Biden White House. (Oregon School Boards Association)
"News reports indicate that the NSBA coordinated with the White House and engaged for weeks leading up to this," Roy continued. "The timeline suggests that the NSBA sent the letter on Sep. 29, and on Oct. 4, Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a memorandum that directed the FBI and U.S. Attorneys offices to address a purported disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation and threats of violence at school board meetings."
According to emails obtained by Parents Defending Education through public records requests, the NSBA was in talks with White House officials for several weeks before sending its letter.
NSBA LETTER DRAFTS CALLED FOR NATIONAL GUARD AND MILITARY TO BE DEPLOYED
Roy’s comments were praised on social media.
"Must watch. Inconvenient facts exposed by @chiproytx about @NSBAPublicEd and Biden’s efforts to silence parents," tweeted Texas state Rep. Brian Harrison.
"Texas Congressman @RepChipRoy with the facts on the National School Board Association (NSBA) letter and the Biden administration’s coordinated efforts to silence parents," tweeted Parents Defending Education Action.
Merrick Garland, U.S. Attorney General, speaks during the U.S. Conference of Mayors winter meeting in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
America First Legal senior adviser Ian Prior simply tweeted the video with an emoji of a bullseye.
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The terse exchange between the lawmakers came during a House Judiciary Committee meeting, with members discussing a House resolution requesting President Biden provide to Congress communication records and documentation related to the letter and subsequent memorandum from the Department of Justice.
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