merrick garland directed the f.b.i. to investigate parents over school policies and vaccine mandates and critical race theory and vaccine mandates. 17 attorneys general blasted the feds for stepping on parents rights. >> the attorneys general across the country, some of us, we're the first line of defense and maybe the last line of defense against this creeping and running socialism that we have. >> this is extreme overreach by the biden administration and i'm proud of these parents for standing up for their young people. for caring about their children enough to have their voices heard. >> dana: jonathan hunt has more on this. hi, jonathan. >> good morning. a scene being repeated across the country in the past few months. parents on both sides of the vaccine mandates issues and both sides of the argument over teaching what some call ethnic studies, others critical race theory passionately arguing their cause and some sometimes crossing a line. >> we know who you are. we know who you are. we know who you are. we can fin

attorney general merrick garland on capitol hill as we speak. lawmakers will grill him on everything from immigration and the border crisis to abortion laws, covid mandates and his threats against educators. i'm dana perino. bill hemmer is off today. good morning trace. >> trace: i'm trace gallagher. the nation's top law enforcement officer appearing for the first time before the house judiciary committee facing tough questions from both sides of the aisle on a long lils of hot button issues. committee member mike johnson told us earlier about some major concerns. watch this. >> millions of americans and all of us, all the republicans on this committee deeply concerned that president joe biden and attorney general merrick garland have weaponized the justice department. inserting the d.o.j. into culture war matters and using it to attack republican-led state initiatives. eroding constitutional norms along the way while they try to push these far left policies. >> trace: david spunt is live at the justice department with more. good morning. >> goo

trace. >> trace: attorney general merrick garland faced tough questions on capitol hill on the growing list of issues the justice department is facing including the crisis at the southern border and controversial memo directing the feds to help address threats against educators. he also faced questions on hunter biden's art sales which led to this exchange with congressman ken buck. watch. >> will you appoint a special counsel to investigate hunter biden? >> i'm not able to respond to questions about investigations of the former president or of anyone else. i'm not able to discuss any investigations pending or. >> you work for the department of justice for 15 years and are you allowed to tell us whether you will appoint a special counsel. you may not tell us whether you are investigating or not investigating a particular matter but you are allowed to tell us whether you will appoint a special counsel and that's my question. >> we'll be taking it under advisement. >> trace: congressman buck joins us now. good morning. i saw your art show yesterday and found it very compelling. i talked