In April 2023, Republican Representative Jim Banks received voicemails threatening him, his wife, and his daughters. Capitol Police investigated and rightly referred the charges to the U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Indiana and the District Attorneys of Allen County, Indiana, for prosecution.
Although Allen County filed charges, the U.S. Attorney declined to do so, and Banks wonders what prompted him to do so… not so special.
Republican Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana questions why a federal prosecutor declined to bring charges against a man who threatened his family while the Justice Department pursued similar threats against Democrats. But the Justice Department denies that there is a double standard.
Aaron Thompson, 33, of Fort Wayne, pleaded guilty in October after leaving threatening voicemails at Banks’ office. Allen County prosecutors prosecuted the case and Thompson was sentenced to two years’ probation. But in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Banks demanded information about why the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana had not filed charges in federal court.
“I am grateful to Allen County District Attorney Mike McAlexander and Assistant District Attorney Adam Mildred for taking these threats seriously and enforcing the law impartially,” Banks told Fox News Digital. “I want a response from AG Garland explaining why he ignored threats against my family but pursued similar threats against Democrats. It seems to be just another example of the Biden administration using our justice system as a political weapon.”
Banks sent the letter in December 2023 but only made it public now. This came after Attorney General Merrick Garland was found in contempt of court because the Justice Department refused to release the actual Hur tapes and because the department refused to prosecute him for doing so.
Just last week, Garland wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post in which he sharply criticized Congress for its baseless attacks on federal law enforcement and its “conspiracy theories” about an armed Justice Department. Garland wrote:
[t]The Justice Department “makes decisions about criminal investigations based solely on facts and law” and does not investigate individuals “based on their last name, political affiliation, the size of their bank account, their place of origin, or their appearance.”
“We investigate and prosecute violations of federal law – nothing more, nothing less,” Garland wrote.
A Justice Department spokesperson also cited investigations into death threats against Republican congressmen such as Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-GA) as evidence that they are not selective based on party affiliation. But if that is the case, why are these sedate allegations not being brought against Banks and his family? Similar threats have been made against Eric Swalwell and Maxine Waters, both Democratic representatives from California, and federal charges have been brought.
In the Waters case, a Texas man was sentenced to nearly three years in prison for the racist and threatening voicemails he left behind. But it seems the Justice Department doesn’t want to deal with the federal crimes against Banks and his family. It must be awfully busy pursuing elderly pro-lifers who pray outside abortion clinics.
