U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced on Thursday that he approved the FBI raid on former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, and several Tennessee Republican leaders voiced their displeasure with both the raid and the attorney general’s role in it.

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) called Garland’s personally approved search warrant “a politically-motivated witch hunt.”

“Democrats will use every tool at their disposal to ensure that they maintain control and power — including raiding the homes of their political opponents,” Blackburn added.

“Merrick Garland won’t prosecute the violent mob that protested against the Justices but will raid the home of a former President,” the senator said.

Blackburn additionally asked, “Will Merrick Garland personally approve a warrant to search Hunter Biden?”

U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-7) tweeted on Friday, “Typical of the Biden administration. No questions taken, and no real substance. We must get real answers from AG Garland when he testifies before Congress.”

Green also called for Garland to testify before the U.S. Congress.

“AG Garland must testify before Congress—there are too many unanswered questions for such an unprecedented raid. The confidence of the American people is at stake,” he said.

Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs said Thursday after Garland’s press conference, “The rampant politization of every aspect of society is destroying public trust in all of our institutions.”

Garland, in his remarks, said that he approved the raid and didn’t do so lightly.

“First, I personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant in this matter. Second, the department does not take such a decision lightly. Where possible, it is standard practice to seek less intrusive means as an alternative to a search, and to narrowly scope any search that is undertaken,” said the attorney general.

“The search warrant was authorized by a federal court upon the required finding of probable cause. The property receipt is a document that federal law requires law enforcement agents to leave with the property owner. The department filed the motion to make public the warrant and receipt in light of the former president’s public confirmation with the search, the surrounding circumstances and the substantial public interest in this matter,” he additionally said.

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Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]. Follow Aaron on GETTRTwitterTruth Social, and Parler.
Photo “Merrick Garland” by Senate Democrats. CC BY 2.0. Photo “Marsha Blackburn” by Sen. Marsha Blackburn. Photo “Mark Green” by Congressman Mark Green. Photo “Glenn Jacobs” by Knox County Tennessee Government. Background Photo “Mar-a-Lago” by Trump White House Archived.