In a move aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability within the Department of Justice, Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) and his fellow Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee are requesting testimony from Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke.
The hearing will address concerns related to the Justice Department’s recent lawsuit against SpaceX, allegations of selective enforcement and constitutional matters.
The committee’s primary focus is on what they perceive as the “weaponization” of the Department of Justice under the Biden administration. They argue that the DOJ has pursued a troubling “double standard” in its enforcement of laws, particularly within the Civil Rights Division.
At the heart of the matter is the lawsuit against SpaceX, Elon Musk’s aerospace company. The DOJ accused SpaceX of discriminatory hiring practices, alleging that the company favored U.S. citizens and green card holders over asylees and refugees.
The DOJ alleges that SpaceX has engaged in discriminatory hiring practices by favoring U.S. citizens and green card holders over refugees and asylees, with Clarke and her team asserting that the company actively discouraged these marginalized groups from seeking employment opportunities.
As Clarke alleged in a statement, the DOJ’s investigation revealed that SpaceX went so far as to discourage “asylees and refugees from seeking work opportunities at the company.”
However, Jordan contends that the lawsuit against SpaceX is emblematic of the Biden administration’s troubling approach to governance, which he sees as targeting its own citizens.
According to the Ohio representative, the Biden administration has been unfairly targeting Musk ever since his acquisition of X, formerly known as Twitter.
Emphasizing the apparent double standard in the DOJ’s approach to similar allegations against other companies, which were resolved without litigation, the committee questions why the DOJ has not taken a more conciliatory approach in this case.
“Finally, it is particularly concerning for the Department to allege that SpaceX has engaged in discriminatory practices by hiring U.S. citizens and green card holders to perform sensitive national security-related work when the Department, too, has citizenship and residency requirements for its employees,” he added.
Musk, who has been vocal about the matter and sees the case as a clear example of the DOJ being politicized for ulterior motives, claims that SpaceX was explicitly instructed not to hire anyone who wasn’t a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
In reaction to a tweet that pointed out that the DOJ itself requires citizenship for job applications, the billionaire entrepreneur wrote, “DOJ needs to sue themselves!”
DOJ needs to sue themselves! https://t.co/TuugrdtYut
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 26, 2023
Beyond the SpaceX lawsuit, the committee’s inquiry extends to other key issues as Jordan expresses deep concern regarding the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994 (FACE Act) and alleges that the DOJ has been selectively enforcing this law, favoring pro-choice activists and facilities while neglecting attacks on pro-life activists, including those at churches.
Speaking for the committee, he insists that the FACE Act should be applied fairly and without political bias.
