Cotton, Colleagues to Garland: Terminate DOJ Official Who Committed Perjury

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
July 12, 2024

Cotton, Colleagues to Garland: Terminate DOJ Official Who Committed Perjury

Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) led nine of his Senate Judiciary Committee colleagues today in sending a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, urging him to terminate Kristen Clarke, the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. The senators detailed how Ms. Clarke committed perjury during the nomination process for her current role by lying to Congress.

Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), and John Cornyn (R-Texas) co-signed the letter.

In part, the senators wrote:

"During her nomination to her current role, Ms. Clarke was asked if she had 'ever been arrested for or accused of committing a violent crime against any person.' Ms. Clarke was unequivocal, responding under oath to the Senate Judiciary Committee, 'No.' That was a lie. Ms. Clarke has now admitted that she was arrested in 2006 for attacking and injuring someone with a knife. It has also recently come to light that, shortly before the full Senate voted on her nomination, Ms. Clarke and her publicist contacted the man she attacked in an attempt to cover up her false testimony."

Full text of the letter may be found here and below.

July 12, 2024

The Honorable Merrick Garland
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

Dear Attorney General Garland,

I write regarding an act of perjury committed by Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. I call for Ms. Clarke's immediate termination and removal from office.

During her nomination to her current role, Ms. Clarke was asked if she had "ever been arrested for or accused of committing a violent crime against any person." Ms. Clarke was unequivocal, responding under oath to the Senate Judiciary Committee, "No." That was a lie. Ms. Clarke has now admitted that she was arrested in 2006 for attacking and injuring someone with a knife. It has also recently come to light that, shortly before the full Senate voted on her nomination, Ms. Clarke and her publicist contacted the man she attacked in an attempt to cover up her false testimony.

Lying to Congress under oath is a felony.

The last time you were before the Senate Judiciary Committee, you said, "The integrity of our legal system is premised on adherence to the rule of law. In order to have confidence in our Department and in our democracy, the American people must be able to trust that we will adhere to the rule of law in everything that we do." Ms. Clarke does not meet this standard and must be immediately terminated.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

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