https://www.grassley.senate.gov/download/grassley-johnson-to-justice-dept_-crossfire-hurricane-declassification
October 13, 2021
The Honorable Merrick Garland
Attorney General
Department of Justice
Dear Attorney General Garland:
On January 19, 2021, then-President Trump issued a memorandum to the Attorney General, Director of National Intelligence and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency directing them to declassify certain Crossfire Hurricane records for public dissemination.1 On February 25, 2021, our respective staffs requested an update from the Justice Department with respect to when a full and complete set of declassified records would be provided to Congress.
Since then, our respective staffs have had countless emails and phone calls requesting updates on your office’s efforts to follow through on President Trump’s declassification directive, to which your office has consistently failed to provide any substantive update. Indeed, to-date, the Justice Department has not produced a single declassified record to Congress and the American people. Unfortunately, this specific example of the Biden Justice Department’s failure to produce responsive material is consistent with its pattern and practice under your leadership.
As we have noted to you, the declassification of these records is not just a matter responsive to ongoing congressional oversight; it is a matter of posterity. Crossfire Hurricane has been the subject of many public reports, letters, hearings and document productions. Accordingly, this cannot be overstated – the public has a right to possess these records.
We request an immediate update on what steps, if any, you have taken to declassify Crossfire Hurricane records and when they will be produced to Congress. If you have failed to take any steps, please explain why that is the case.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Grassley Ron Johnson
Ranking Member Ranking Member
Committee on the Judiciary Permanent Subcommit