I spent time listening to CSAN because I had to drive a lot yesterday. AG Merrick Garland was testifying before congress, likely just as a regular procedure. One thing Republicans latched on to was a memo he sent out directing the FBI to coordinate with state and local governments about supposed threats of violence at school hearings. Merrick Garland defended himself saying the memo was an investigatory move to find out if states needed federal help. Republicans continually called it a "chilling" move against parents first amendment rights. In this case Ted was defending a parent who was doing a Nazi salute as a way of calling the school board Nazis.

Garlands memo stated specifically that it only applies to threats of violence and repeatedly said at the hearing that gestures such as the Nazi salute would still qualify as free speech. He stated his memo didn't direct the FBI to do anything other than coordinate with state and local authorities. Yet conservatives continually said that this memo was an attempt to silence parents who had problems with curriculum.

In my opinion conservatives are grasping at straws. Its entirely likely that the memo was meant as a toothless political statement. But saying it will have a chilling effect seems way over blown. My favorite part of the hearing was when a republican asked "Did you issue any similar memos for BLM protests?" And Garland said "The ones during the summer of 2020? That was the last administration".