Garland affirms DOJ's 'norms' amidst ongoing controversies.

Merrick Garland, the U.S. Attorney General, advocated for a return to "norms" at the Department of Justice on Thursday, even as Republicans accused him of perpetuating a two-tier justice system.

During a speech to department staff in Washington D.C., Garland described former President Donald Trump's time in the White House as a challenging era for the department.

As Attorney General, my mission when I returned to DOJ in 2021 was to reaffirm and strengthen the norms that serve as the principles upon which the Justice Department operates.

Kerri Urbahn, a Planet Chronicle legal editor, pointed out that Garland failed to address the department's failure to enforce a federal statute against protesters harassing conservative justices at their homes in 2022, as well as his slow-paced trial of the man accused of attempting to kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh while expediting cases involving Trump. Additionally, Garland wrote a letter directing the National Security Division to monitor angry parents at school board meetings.

On "America Reports," Urbahn criticized the DOJ for regularly updating the public on the aggressive January 6th riot prosecutions while remaining silent on anti-Israel agitators who have vandalized and destroyed private and federal property. The department also delayed the Hunter Biden investigation until whistleblowers spoke out, Urbahn said, and nearly allowed a "sweetheart" plea deal to go through.

Garland stated that we took measures to safeguard the Department's criminal and civil law enforcement decisions and legal judgments from any inappropriate influences, including partisan ones.

Garland condemned allegations that the department had been used to target political opponents and criticized "conspiracy theories, harmful untruths, and attempts to harass and intimidate dedicated public officials."

Garland assured DOJ staff that our norms prohibit the use of this department as a political weapon and that our norms also prevent this nation from becoming a country where law enforcement is viewed as a tool of politics.

The DOJ has been accused of being weaponized against Trump by various Republicans, and Garland's statements seem to be a response to these accusations.

In June, Garland wrote an opinion piece for The Washington Post refuting claims that the department was meddling with the 2024 election.

WATCH: GARLAND SAYS DOJ RETURNING TO ‘NORMS’ UNDER HIS WATCH

Garland hinted at Trump and his supporters, who consistently asserted that the DOJ was involved in the New York criminal trial against the presumptive GOP nominee, who was convicted on all 34 counts of falsifying business records by a Manhattan jury.

Garland wrote that we have witnessed an increase in attacks that surpass public examination, evaluation, and proper supervision of our operations. These attacks are unfounded, vindictive, and hazardous.

At the time, Garland stated that such attacks included "threats" to impede the efforts of Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith in prosecuting the former president.

Garland stated, "The Justice Department's decisions regarding criminal investigations are solely based on the facts and the law. We do not investigate individuals based on their last name, political affiliation, bank account size, origin, or appearance. Our focus is solely on enforcing federal law violations."

Urbahn stated that prosecuting the former president of the United States and a possible future president of the United States, who is also his boss' political enemy, is anything but normal.

Urbahn said Smith has brought "untested legal theories" against Trump.

Urbahn stated that they were manipulating the law in unprecedented ways to align the facts and secure the conviction of the individual.

The DOJ has been accused of hypocrisy in its treatment of politically conservative groups compared to those categorized as generally liberal.

In 2023, Matthew Graves, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, announced the conviction of Paulette Harlow, 75, of Kingston, Massachusetts, for conspiring against rights and violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act during a protest at an abortion clinic in 2020.

The DNC headquarters was violently rioted by approximately 200 anti-Israel activists, some of whom were armed with pepper spray, in November. Despite this, Graves had not yet condemned or previewed any possible prosecution efforts. Critics immediately cried foul.

This report was contributed to by Chris Pandolfo, Brooke Singman, and Hanna Panreck of Planet Chronicle.