White House and NSBA coordinated weeks before “domestic terrorist” letter, according to internal emails

Multiple sources have confirmed that the Biden Administration and Department of Justice coordinated with the National School Boards Association (NSBA) before it sent its highly-criticized “domestic terrorist” letter to President Joe Biden. Fox News obtained internal emails clearly demonstrating a coordinated effort between the parties weeks before the letter was sent. While it appeared that the concern originated from the NSBA, signs now point to a manufactured “outrage” initiated by the White House.

These details come to light in the midst of a massive fallout regarding the letter, with state school boards and parent groups bringing heavy opposition. Twelve state school board associations have terminated their relationship with the NSBA in the wake of the letter. In a statement released by the Missouri School Board Association, officials said, “The use of inflammatory terms in the NSBA letter is not a model for promoting greater civility and respect for the democratic process.” 

According to the timeline of these internal emails, a meeting at the White House occurred with the NSBA on September 14th, 2021. Three days later, the NSBA interim Executive Director indicated to state association executive directors that a letter would be sent to the President requesting federal assistance. The infamous letter was sent on September 29th, and five days later, on October 4th, the DOJ issued a memo directing law enforcement to look into these perceived ‘threats’.

On October 22nd, the NSBA issued an apology regarding the letter, stating, “We regret and apologize for the letter…there was no justification for some of the language included in the letter.” The backpedaling has received nearly as much criticism as the initial letter and memo. Laura Zorc, director of education reform at Building Education for Students Together (BEST), said, “The toothpaste is already out of the tube, you can’t put it back in after doing something like this.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland has been the target of the widespread criticism as the main driver of the memorandum instructing the FBI to investigate parents. Garland has now attempted to separate himself from the wording of the letter and claimed that the DOJ memorandum did not rely on the NSBA letter in issuing the memorandum. He testified before congress on October 27th, asserting that stance when asked if he had “second thoughts following the NSBA’s apology. The internal emails reveal a reality contradictory to Garland’s testimony.

Senator Josh Hawley has publicly called for Garland to resign: “Merrick Garland mobilized the FBI to intimidate parents without legal basis and, we now know, premised on misinformation he didn’t bother to verify…It was a dangerous abuse of authority that has badly compromised the Justice Dept’s integrity and Garland’s. He should resign.”

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy commented on the situation recently as well, saying, “The entire basis for Biden’s DOJ to treat parents as ‘domestic terrorists’ has been dismantled after the NSBA said they ‘regret and apologize’ for the letter. DOJ should retract the memo & the Biden Admin owes parents an apology and a commitment to end this baseless targeting.”