Hawley rips Garland for ‘false’ testimony on DOJ recruiting efforts inside churches

Sen. Josh Hawley on Tuesday accused Attorney General Merrick Garland of providing false testimony to the Senate last month when he said his department is not developing sources inside Catholic churches and other houses of worship, and demanded to know how many "undercover informants or other agents" are aiding the department from these religious sites.

"Let’s be clear: your Department has decided to turn Catholic congregations into front organizations for the FBI, and when asked about it, you’ve decided to fudge the truth before Congress," Hawley, R-Mo., wrote in a letter to Garland on Tuesday morning. "This is an unconscionable assault on American Catholics’ First Amendment rights and an abdication of your duty to enforce the law without fear or favor."