America First Legal (AFL) has initiated an investigation into the Biden Administration’s handling of recent anti-American and pro-Hamas riots at the Watergate Hotel and Union Station in Washington, D.C. The disturbances, reportedly organized by the ANSWER Coalition, involved flag burning, assaults on police officers, and vandalism of monuments. AFL criticizes the administration for failing to secure the Watergate Hotel, where Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu was staying before his Congressional address.
The initial phase of AFL's investigation will examine the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service’s actions regarding the protection of the Watergate Complex on July 24, 2024. It will also review United States Park Police records concerning a decision by the Department of Interior that left twenty-nine officers to manage thousands of pro-Hamas rioters at Union Station, resulting in assaults and monument desecration.
On January 5, 2024, AFL disclosed non-public information from Department of Justice insiders suggesting that political leaders within the Office of the Attorney General and the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights had effectively ordered federal law enforcement to stand down regarding Hamas’s network of U.S.-based supporters. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has highlighted what he perceives as a double standard between how pro-Hamas rioters are treated compared to peaceful J6 protestors. According to McConnell, this disparity erodes public trust in government and undermines the rule of law.
Reed D. Rubinstein, Senior Vice President at America First Legal, stated: "This double standard undermines public confidence in our government and undermines the rule of law."
America First Legal remains dedicated to uncovering what it views as negligence towards pro-Hamas violence by the current administration.
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