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A group of House Republicans on the Judiciary Committee sent a letter Wednesday to Attorney General Merrick Garland demanding he explains his memorandum directing the FBI to target the growing movement of parents protesting school boards. They also called for an ethics investigation into his decision-making process.

The letter, first obtained by the Daily Caller, was spearheaded by Republican Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson, who was joined by Ranking Member Rep. Jim Jordan and 17 other Republicans on the committee. In it, the lawmakers say local law enforcement should address and prevent legitimate threats against school board officials. They argue there is no evidence to suggest federal law enforcement should be getting involved and that it will discourage parents from speaking their minds.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has not explained or offered examples of the violence it is referring to in either of these instances. The DOJ did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s many requests for comment.

“Attorney General Garland’s decision to involve the Department of Justice in local school board protests raises serious questions—not only about his disturbing pattern of exerting federal authority over state, local and personal matters—but also about his own family’s reported interests in advancing left-wing ideologies in schools,” Rep. Johnson told the Daily Caller before sending the letter.

“Judiciary Republicans trust that Mr. Garland will submit to our requested ethics inquiry, publicly release its results, and take whatever actions are necessary to protect the integrity of the office of Attorney General, including either recusing himself from this issue and/or rescinding the October 4th memorandum,” Johnson added.

The lawmakers also mention Garland’s family reportedly “having a financial stake in local school boards adopting a far-left educational curriculum.” The letter states that “reports allege that your son-in-law is the co-founder of Panorama Education, Inc., a company that publishes and sells Critical Race Theory and ‘anti-racism’ materials and works with school districts nationwide to obtain and analyze data on students.”

In the letter, the House Judiciary Republicans mention the Code of Federal Regulations and say that an employee of the Executive Branch is discouraged from engaging in conduct that is likely to affect the financial interests of “a person with whom he has a covered relationship.”

In early October, Garland announced he was directing the FBI to “use its authority” against parents who threaten or harass public school officials. Republicans were quick to push back on Garland’s directive, with many accusing the DOJ of attempting to silence political dissent. 

Widespread protests and other forms of pushback have taken place in recent months across the country, as some parents have grown frustrated with the prevalence of critical race theory in school curricula and COVID-19 restrictions in the classroom.

The other lawmakers who signed the letter include: Republican Reps. Steve Chabot, Louie Gohmert of Texas, Darrell Issa, Matt Gaetz, Andy Biggs, Tom McClintock, Greg Steube, Tom Tiffany, Thomas Massie, Chip Roy of Texas, Dan Bishop, Michelle Fischbach, Victoria Spartz, Scott Fitzgerald and Cliff Bentz.