GOP Rep Matt Gaetz put Merrick Garland on notice for weaponization of the DOJ for political purposes against Elon Musk and SpaceX. Matt wrote:
“Last week, while much of America was fixated on the unlawful election interference in Fulton County, Georgia, your Civil Rights Division (CRD)—the lead election-law component at the Department of Justice (DOJ)—had other, apparently more important business to do.
“CRD filed a lawsuit against Space Exploration Technologies Corp., otherwise known as “SpaceX,” for complying with federal law and, specifically, because of this conduct: “SpaceX hired only U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, from September 2018 to September 2020.”
“The vast majority of Americans would see Elon Musk as a patriot seeking to pay higher wages and protect sensitive defense-contracting work from foreign theft.
“And, in fact, you cite his company’s statements not as exonerating but rather as “facially discriminatory public statements.”
“Here is one tweet by Mr. Musk you cite in your complaint as “facially discriminatory: US law requires at least a green card to be hired at SpaceX, as rockets are considered advanced weapons technology
“As you surely know, 8 U.S.C. § 1324b exempts “discrimination because of citizenship status which is otherwise required in order to comply with law, regulation, or executive order, or required by Federal, State, or local government contract, or which the Attorney General determines to be essential for an employer to do business with an agency or department of the Federal, State, or local government.”
“Authoritatively, you note in paragraph 61 of your complaint that “No law; regulation; executive order; provision of Federal, State or local government contract; or Attorney General determination justifies SpaceX’s pattern or practice of hiring discrimination against asylees and refugees.”
“Thus, rather than proving in a court of law that SpaceX’s and Mr. Musk’s statements about their legal obligations were pretextual (i.e., that they had no reasonable belief that federal law required their practice) you appear poised to take mens rea entirely out of this equation.
“In order for the House Committee on the Judiciary, of which I am a member, to conduct oversight of this matter, please provide my office with the following by September 8, 2023:
(1) An exhaustive list of all laws, regulations, executive orders, and contracts that DOJ has reviewed in connection with this case.
(2) A sworn statement of the Attorney General that no state, federal, or local law, regulation, or contract prohibits producers of sensitive, military-grade dual-use technology from hiring asylees or refugees.
“Please also make yourself available to brief interested Members of Congress on this issue prior to your testimony on September 20, 2023.”
Elon Musk said: “DOJ needs to sue themselves.
“SpaceX was told repeatedly that hiring anyone who was not a permanent resident of the United States would violate international arms trafficking law, which would be a criminal offense.
“We couldn’t even hire Canadian citizens, despite Canada being part of NORAD! This is yet another case of weaponization of the DOJ for political purposes.”
First, Pamela Karlan attacked President Trump’s son during a congressional hearing.
Now, she’s going after @ElonMusk for hiring American citizens!
When somebody goes against the Biden Regime, they find themselves being prosecuted. pic.twitter.com/ueIyCVQAnx
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) August 25, 2023
