Acting attorney general says DOJ will enforce law

by Rebecca Beitsch - 01/06/21 6:57 PM ET

Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen condemned the rioters who forced their way into the Capitol Wednesday, saying the Department of Justice (DOJ) would “enforce the laws of our land.”

“The violence at our Nation’s Capitol Building is an intolerable attack on a fundamental institution of our democracy,” Rosen wrote in a statement, pledging to work with various federal and municipal law enforcement agencies. “We intend to enforce the laws of our land.”

The statement came hours after rioters interrupted debate in both chambers as lawmakers were gearing up to formally certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.

Rosen said DOJ responded by directing officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Marshals to assist “to assist the Capitol Police in addressing this unacceptable situation.”

Rosen, previously the deputy attorney general, has been in the role since Dec. 23, after then-Attorney General William Barr resigned as President Trump pressured him to appoint a special council to investigate Biden’s son, Hunter, over tax allegations.

The tone of Rosen’s statement differs significantly from those previously issued by Barr, who, like Trump, frequently criticized left-leaning protestors.

He was particularly vocal as Black Lives Matter protests spread across the country in May and June, adopting Trump’s concern for respect for law enforcement and damage at various monuments.

“Federal law enforcement actions will be directed at apprehending and charging the violent radical agitators who have hijacked peaceful protest and are engaged in violations of federal law,” Barr wrote in May. “The violence instigated and carried out by Antifa and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly.”

Just days later, Barr personally ordered law enforcement to push back protestors from Lafayette Square outside of the White House as officers cleared the area with chemical irritants.