Deputy attorney general Merrick Garland defended Kristen Clarke, the lawyer chosen to lead the Justice Department’s civil rights division, during a heated discussion with Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, at his confirmation hearing on Monday.
Clarke, appointed by Biden to serve as assistant attorney general for civil rights, has been examined in recent weeks because of a 1994 letter she co-authored for Harvard Crimson. Clarke presented the letter as a denunciation of the findings in the controversial book called “The Bell Curve”, which suggested that intelligence was linked to genetics and environmental factors.
In the letter, Clarke wrote, among other things, that “Black children sit, stand, crawl and walk earlier than white children” and “Melanin gives blacks greater mental, physical and spiritual abilities”. Although Clarke claimed that the intent of his letter was misinterpreted, critics, including Lee, questioned his suitability to hold a position at the DOJ.
JUDICIARY OF THE BEST SENATE DEM BACKS DOJ CIVIL RIGHTS NAMED KRISTIN CLARKE AMONG RESURFECTED COMMENTS
Lee referred to the situation in a question to Garland, initiating a tense discussion.
“Did an individual’s previous statements as an adult declaring that one racial group is superior to another, statements like that relevant to an assessment of whether that person should be charged with directing the Justice Department’s civil rights division?” Lee asked the appointed attorney general.
“I have read these allegations about Kristen Clarke, whom I also know, whom I also trust, who I believe to be a person of integrity, whose views on the civil rights division I have discussed with her and who are in agreement with the mine, “said Garland in response. “I have every reason to want her. She is a former prosecutor specializing in hate crimes and we need someone like that,” said Garland before being interrupted by Lee.
“I’m not asking about her as a person, I’m asking about the statement,” said Lee.
“All I can say is that I talked to her many times about her views on the civil rights division, what kinds of issues she would investigate,” said Garland.
“And the anti-Semitic comments. Would they be relevant?” Lee said.
Garland, who previously detailed his own family’s experiences with anti-Semitism, was visibly irritated by the question.
“You know my views on anti-Semitism. No one needs to question them,” said Garland. “I am a good judge of what an anti-Semite is and I do not believe that she is an anti-Semite and I do not believe that she is discriminatory in any sense.”
Earlier this year, Forward asked Clarke to explain his decision to write the letter, as well as his decision, while serving as president of the Harvard Black Students Association, to host Professor Tony Martin, who later made anti-Semitic comments .
In response, Clarke said the letter was in response to “The Bell Curve, which was” generating wide acclaim for his racist views. “She said her decision to start the letter” with an absurd claim that blacks are superior based on the melanin in their skin “was” to hold a mirror to reflect how reprehensible the premise of black inferiority was placed. “
“The objective was to express an equally absurd point of view – to fight against an absurd and ridiculous racist theory with another absurd ridiculous theory,” said Clarke, “and the objective was [exposing] the ugly racist foundations of the Bell Curve theory. “
Clarke said it was a “mistake” to host Martin and said he “unequivocally denounces[s] anti-Semitism. “
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Prior to her appointment, Clarke served as chairman of the Civil Rights Lawyers Committee under the Law. She also served as head of the civil rights division of former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
As head of the DOJ’s civil rights division, Clarke would lead efforts to pursue police reform and other efforts to combat systemic racism. Biden promised to make civil rights reform a priority in his government.
Clarke could face scrutiny during his own confirmation hearing about his position on police reform. In a column for Newsweek last year, she called for a “strategic” effort to get money from the police in favor of other community programs. Reimbursement requests to the police have troubled Republican lawmakers in recent months.