Washington, D.C. — Today, Attorney General Merrick Garland testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee that the most serious threat of domestic violence comes from extremists motivated by racial or ethnic hatred—specifically, those who advocate for white supremacy. Garland also said that in his career as a judge and in law enforcement, he has never seen a more dangerous threat to democracy than the January 6 invasion of the U.S. Capitol. In response, Katrina Mulligan, acting vice president for National Security and International Policy at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
The attorney general’s comments show that the Biden administration is serious about dealing with the threat of white supremacist violence and the growing threat it poses to our national security. It’s time for Congress and federal officials to develop a comprehensive plan to counter this disturbing trend and prevent a greater surge in violence.
CAP and the McCain Institute for International Leadership have issued a comprehensive strategy for government officials to address the root causes that fuel white supremacist extremism and violence. These include preventing extremists from infiltrating the military, working to disrupt the financial networks of white supremacist groups, investigating online companies that refuse to address violent content, and making it a bigger priority for the FBI and Justice Department to investigate and prosecute white supremacist violence.
For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected] or 202-478-6327.