Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia introduced articles of impeachment against the U.S. attorney for the nation’s capital on Tuesday, announcing the move while he was testifying during a House hearing on crime in Washington.
Greene ripped into U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves during his testimony at a House Oversight Committee hearing.
She said his office has refused to enforce many existing laws against criminals while it continues to prosecute people who have been accused of entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
The congresswoman further said Graves has not moved to go after people who committed crimes in the city during the 2020 Black Lives Matter riots.
Greene also cited a number of cases in which the U.S. attorney’s office in D.C. dropped the ball in going after violent criminals.
The Georgia Republican addressed Graves, noting he is given the “unique ability to prosecute both local and federal cases.”
“However, Mr. Graves, your office has declined to prosecute 67 percent of those arrested in 2022,” Greene said.
“Instead, you are solely focused on prosecuting Jan. 6 cases from one single day in our history,” she said.
Greene said rates for murders, sexual abuse, and property crimes have skyrocketed in the city.
“Just yesterday morning, a little innocent 12-year-old girl was shot while sleeping in her own bed by another rampant, violent criminal who has probably been previously arrested and not prosecuted,” she said.
Greene then asked Graves whether residents of the area are more concerned with “catching a stray bullet” this week or “a grandma walking through the Capitol more than two years ago.”
The congresswoman told him, “You have already abused your position by maliciously prosecuting at least 1,000 people from Jan. 6, but you recently announced that you’re going to arrest about 1,000 more.”
.@RepMTG introduces articles of impeachment against U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves: "The time for weaponizing the Department of Justice needs to come to an end." pic.twitter.com/LtDPcrLqee
— CSPAN (@cspan) May 16, 2023
Green cited instances where people who attended the rally on Jan. 6 were tormented by Graves’ office, reminding him that Matthew Perna took his own life when he faced the aggressive prosecution.
“Matthew Lawrence Perna died on February 25, 2022, of a broken heart,” an obituary for him obtained by NBC News said.
“The time for weaponizing the Department of Justice needs to come to an end,” Greene said as she addressed Graves.
She concluded, “Because you refuse to prosecute real criminals that are violating all the crimes here in Washington, D.C. … I am introducing articles of impeachment on you, Mr. Graves,” she said.
Greene yielded back the remainder of her time.
The congresswoman introduced the articles Tuesday as promised, saying in a news release, “With a total dereliction of duty as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Matthew Graves must be impeached.”
“Graves has prosecuted hundreds of individuals who participated in a political protest and has sought lengthy pretrial detention, even for nonviolent defendants,” she said.
Greene said he is “systematically criminalizing political dissent at the behest of his handlers in the White House.”
Graves was confirmed to his position during the first year of President Joe Biden’s term in office in November 2021.
via westernjournal
