In November 2022 Tessiah Smithen received a letter that's haunted her for 18 months. Since, a teacher has resigned, and the school system is making changes following a 5 On Your Side investigation.

5 On Your Side: An anonymous letter accused a Wake teacher of abuse. What happened after a mom pushed for an investigation

5 On Your Side: Teacher accused of abusive behavior toward student with autism

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Merrick garland Coverage

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Friday that the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney who is investigating Hunter Biden has been given "special counsel" status. This gives the senior prosecutor, David Weiss, more powers than a typical U.S. attorney.

WATCHING. >> Reporter: STEPHANIE GOSK, NBC NEWS. >>> WE HAVE BREAKING NEWS RELATED TO PRESIDENT BIDEN'S SON HUNTER. >> THIS IS AN NBC NEWS SPECIAL REPORT. HERE'S LESTER HOLT. >>> GOOD DAY, LESTER HOLT OF NEW YORK, BREAKING NEWS RIGHT NOW, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GARLAND BEGINNING TO SPEAK NOW, WHAT WE'RE TOLD IS AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT, LET'S TAKE YOU RIGHT NOW TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. >>> ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE. MR. WEISS HAD BEEN A CAREER PROSECUTOR, HAVING SERVED PREVIOUSLY IN THE OFFICE -- >>> A SPECIAL COUNSEL HE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THE AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY THAT HE HAS PREVIOUSLY EXERCISED TO OVERSEE THE INVESTIGATION AND DECIDE WHERE, WHEN AND WHETHER TO FILE CHARGES. THE SPECIAL COUNSEL WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO THE DAY-TO-DAY SUPERVISION OF ANY OFFICIAL OF THE DEPARTMENT, BUT HE MUST COMPLY WITH THE REGULATIONS, PROCEDURES AND POLICIES OF THE DEPARTMENT. CONSISTENT WITH THE SPECIAL COUNSEL REGULATIONS AT THE CONCLUSION OF MR. WEISS'S WORK, HE WILL PROVIDE ME WITH A REPORT EXPLAINING THE PROSECUTION OR DECLAMATION DECISIONS REACHED BY HIM. AS WITH EACH SPECIAL COUNSEL WHO HAS SERVED SINCE I HAVE TAKEN OFFICE I AM COMMITTED TO MAKING AS MUCH OF HIS REPORT AS POSSIBLE CONSISTENT WITH LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND DEPARTMENT POLICY. TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT AFFORDS THE PROSECUTORS, AGENTS AND ANALYSTS WORKING ON THIS MATTER THE ABILITY TO PROCEED WITH THEIR WORK EXPEDITIOUSLY, AND TO MAKE DECISIONS INDISPUTABLY GUIDED ONLY BY THE FACTS AND THE LAW. THE MEN AND WOMEN UNDERTAKING THIS INVESTIGATION ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEIR CAREERS TO PROTECTING THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY. THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. WEISS REENFORCES FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THE DEPARTMENT'S COMMITMENT TO BOTH INDEPENDENCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE MATTERS. I AM CONFIDENT THAT MR. WEISS WILL CARRY OUT HIS RESPONSIBILITY IN AN EVEN-HANDED AND URGENT MANNER, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THIS DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. >>> ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GR LAND CONCLUDING THAT BRIEF STATEMENT. THE HEADLINE, DAVID WEISS, WHO HAS BEEN LEADING THE HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATION H ASKED AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO BECOME A SPECIAL COUNSEL, ESSENTIALLY APPOINTED A SPECIAL COUNSEL STATUS GIVING HIM APPARENTLY MORE LATITUDE TO CONDUCT AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF THE PRESIDENT'S SON. YOU'LL RECALL THERE WAS A RECENT PLEA DEAL BETWEEN THE PROSECUTION AND MR. BIDEN THAT WOULD REDUCE -- WOULD ESSENTIALLY HOLD HIM LIABLE FOR TWO MISDEMEANOR COUNTS RELATED TO THE PAYMENT OF TAXES OR FAILURE TO PAY TAXES AND IT ALSO OPENED UP A PATHWAY FOR A GUNS CHARGE, GUN WEAPON CHARGE TO BE RECED OR ELIMINATED AGAINST HIM. # KELLY, WHAT'S THE DISTINCTION HERE BETWEEN WHAT HE'S BEEN DOING AS U.S. ATTORNEY FROM DELAWARE AND WHAT HE WILL NOW DO AS SPECIAL COUNSEL. >> Reporter: FOR A LONG TIME, LESTER, MERRICK GARLAND TRIED TO COMMUNICATE PUBLICLY THAT DAVID WEISS HAD FULL AUTHORITY IN ALL MATTERS TO PURSUE THIS. AND THE ADMINISTRATION IS CERTAINLY WANTED TO POINT OUT HE WAS A TRUMP APPOINTEE TO THAT ROLE AS THE U.S. ATTORNEY IN DELAWARE, AND WOULD CONTINUE THAT WORK. # IT IS ABOUT ACTING FULLY, INDEPENDENTLY FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. MR. BIDEN HIMSELF IS ALSO UNDER SPECIAL COUNSEL RETD TO THE CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS -- AND THAT INVESTIGATION GOES ON, WE HAVE SEVERAL SPECIAL COUNSELSAL WORK. THIS CAN BE SEEN IN POLITICAL CONTEXT WITH THE PRESSURE COMING FROM HOUSE REPUBLICANS THROUGH THEIR INVESTIGATION OF THE HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE PRESSURING EVERY DATA POINT RELATED TO HUNTER BIDEN, HIS FOREIGN BUSINESS DEALINGS AND ANY RELATIONSHIP TO HIS FATHER AT THE TIME HE WAS VICE PRESIDENT AND NOW AS THE SITTING PRESIDENT. CERTAINLY, HAVING A SPECIAL COUNSEL LFLS THE PLAYING FIELD SO THAT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHO'S BEING INVESTIGATED IN MANY MATTERS BY SPECIAL COUNSEL, THE CURRENT PRESIDENT, AND NOW EXTENDING TO HIS FAMILY AND ALL OF THE THINGS CONNECTED THERE. AMONG THE THINGS WE DON'T KNOW IS HOW FAR BEYOND HUNTER BIDEN IF AT ALL WOULD THIS EXTEND? WHEN THE PLEA DEAL YOU ALLUDED THAT FELL APART IN COURT, AN ASTOUNDING SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES THERE, THERE APPEARED TO BE DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN HUNTER BIDEN'S COUNSEL AND THE GOVERNMENT ABOUT WHETHER THERE WAS ONGOING INVESTIGATION, ALL THE SUDDEN WHEN A PLEA MATTER COMES TO COURT THE PERSON WHO IS THE SUBJECT OF THAT WANTS TO END ANY FURTHER PROSECUTION, THAT TYPICALLY IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PLEA IS REACHED. AS YOU POINTED OUT IT WAS ON MISDEMEANOR TAX CHARGES AND THEN A SEPARATE GUN OFFENSE AND IF HUNTER BIDEN WERE TO NOT HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL TROUBLE THAT GUN OFFENSE COULD BE EXPUNGED AND THERE WAS AN EXPECTATION THERE

Special counsel appointed to investigate Hunter Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland announces

U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., on Jan. 8 accused federal officials of abusing their power, saying parents who attend school board meetings "to question the curriculum" are "flagged by the Department of Justice and the FBI." PolitiFact checks his claim.

HOW THIS HAPPENED. AND IF ANYONE WAS HURT. >> REPUBLICANS WHO NOW CONTROL THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WANT TO REVIEW CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS LAUNCHED BY THE FBI ONE CONGRESSMAN RECENTLY ACCUSED FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS OF UNFAIRLY TRACKING PARENTS WHO ATTEND SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS WRAL'S FALSE PAYCHECKS. THAT CLAIM FOR POLITIFACT. IF YOU SPEAK OUT AND YOUR KIDS NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, IS THE FBI GOING TO OPEN A FILE ON YOU? THAT WAS CONGRESSMAN SCOTT PERRY SUGGESTED THE OTHER DAY. HE'S A REPUBLICAN FROM PENNSYLVANIA. HE SAID THIS PARENTS THAT GO TO SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS AND QUESTION THE CURRICULUM ARE RED FLAGGED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND FBI JUST FOR ATTENDING A MEETING NOW IS THAT RIGHT? NO, IT'S A BIG EXAGGERATION. THAT LEAVES OUT KEY CONTEXT BACK IN SEPTEMBER 2021, THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION WROTE A LETTER TO PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYING, HEY, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT AN INCREASE IN THREATS TO SCHOOL LEADERS. SAFETY IN THE MEMO. THE FOLLOWING MONTH, ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GARLAND AND ACKNOWLEDGED WHAT HE CALLED A DISTURBING SPIKE IN HARASSMENT AND THREATS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST SCHOOL OFFICIALS. THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THEN LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION INTO CRIMINAL CONDUCT AGAINST SCHOOL PERSONNEL AND THAT LANGUAGE IS KEY. NOW, SOME REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS HEARD FROM WHISTLEBLOWERS THAT THE FBI HAS A TAG FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE THREATENED SCHOOL OFFICIALS. BUT AGAIN, THAT IS FOR SPECIFIC THREATS. WE FOUND NO EVIDENCE THAT FEDERAL AGENTS ARE TRACKING PEOPLE WHO JUST SPEAK OUT AGAINST THEIR KIDS. SCHOOL CURRICULUM. AND THAT'S >> FALSE READ A FULL FACT CHECK

Fact-checking GOP congressman on claim about FBI investigations into parents

Fact check: Does FBI flag parents who 'go to school board meetings?'

Justice Department Charges 2 Chinese Citizens With Spying for Huawei

Attorney General Merrick Garland is set to make a statement Thursday afternoon. It comes after three days of silence over the FBI's raid of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.

<p>earlier this week. This will be the first time anyone from the Department of Justice has commented since the MAr A Lago search about a dozen boxes worth of materials were seized from a safe and a storage area within Mr trump's residence. This statement from the Attorney General comes of course, amid growing calls for Mr trump's supporters to explain what was behind that search. NBC's justice and intelligence correspondent, ken Dilanian has been following this story all along, ken, what do we expect here Kate. I'm not expecting to learn a lot of new facts about the search. I'm prepared to be proven wrong. I think I'm expecting a primer on the process and why the Justice Department conducts searches pursuant to court orders. What are the circumstances? And possibly also some push back on some of the criticism that the department has been taking from, as you mentioned, from trump supporters who say that this is unfair, that it's politically motivated. There have even been remarked by some trump lawyers that the FBI may have planted evidence. I expect America to push back on that. But Merrick Garland is a cautious, careful institutionalist who believes in the rules and believes in protocol and protocol in this case says that the Justice Department does not talk about pending criminal investigations, no matter how badly people want them to do that. And so I don't expect him to talk about in detail about what for example, what led the FBI to pursue this Court ordered search. All right, ken ken, here's the Attorney General now, good afternoon since I became Attorney General. I have made clear that the Department of Justice will speak through its court filings and its work just now, the Justice Department has filed a motion in the Southern district of florida to unseal a search warrant and property receipt relating to a court approved search that the FBI conducted earlier this week. That search was of premises located in florida belonging to the former president. The department did not make any public statements on the day of the search. The former president publicly confirmed the search that evening, as is his right copies of both the warrant and the FBI property receipt were provided on the day of the search to the former President's counsel who was on site during the search. 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 of the search. The surrounding circumstances and the substantial public interest in this matter, faithful adherence to the rule of law, is the bedrock principle of the Justice Department and of our democracy. Upholding the rule of law means applying the law evenly without fear or favor under my watch. That is precisely what the Justice Department is doing. All americans are entitled to the evenhanded application of the law to due process of the law and to the presumption of innocence. Much of our work is by necessity conducted out of the public eye. We do that to protect the constitutional rights of all americans and to protect the integrity of our investigations. Federal law, longstanding department rules and our ethical obligations prevent me from providing further details as to the basis of the search. At this time. There are however, certain points I want you to know. 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 too narrowly scope any search that is undertaken. Third, let me address recent unfounded attacks on the professionalism of the FBI and Justice Department agents and prosecutors. I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked. The men and women of the FBI and the Justice Department are dedicated patriotic public servants. Every day. They protect the american people from violent crime, terrorism, and other threats to their safety while safeguarding our civil rights. They do so at great personal sacrifice and risk to themselves. I am honored to work alongside them. This is all I can say right now. More information will be made available in the appropriate way and at the appropriate time. Thank you. Thank you all for your questions. But as I said, this is all I can say at this time. All right, we've been listening to the Attorney general, the United States brief comments there. Let me bring back our Justice and intelligence correspondent, ken Dilanian, who's been following all of this. He, in the beginning of his statement there, ken, he said we have filed a motion in the southern district of florida to unseal the search war meaning we'll be able to see what they were after on monday. Absolutely right. Kate. In fact, we have this motion now, it doesn't reveal the details. It's asking the judge to unseal this affidavit. And just so people understand this affidavit which normally would be sworn out by an FBI agent. This is how the FBI communicates to the judge the probable cause that they believe exists to show that a crime had been committed and that there was evidence of that crime present at former President Donald trump's residence at mar a Lago. So this is the whole shebang. If there was a confidential human source, whatever led up to this search would be generally in an affidavit like this, they may redact names and what's clear here is that this is a motion by the Justice Department asking the judge to unseal. So an interesting question will be what is the Donald trump position. Now, will they oppose this effort to unseal the warrant or will they support it. And what will the judge do, Right? Because ultimately it's the judge's call, right, but generally when generally the interest in ceiling is a law enforcement interest, it's the Justice Department that demands the seal to protect the confidentiality of sources, to protect the nature of the investigation. So often when the prosecutors say unseal it gets unsealed, and can we also heard the attorney general say I personally approve the decision to seek a search warrant. That was obviously a very intentional thing to say out loud. It was indeed, and it was what we all expected had happened, but it was it was interesting to hear it confirmed. And then we also of course heard him push back in a general way against the attacks that he's perceiving happening uh leveled against FBI agents and prosecutors who are being accused without evidence really of acting in a play political way or an unfair way. Let me go to NBC's Vaughn Hilliard. He's in Palm beach florida right outside Mr trump's mar a Lago home. He joins us. Now Vaughn, I imagine it's too quickly to get any reaction from folks inside the trump camp. But clearly this was orchestrated by the attorney general to to address some of the concerns that you've been hearing from from those close to former president, right kate for about 48 hours. This was allowed to fester and in large part it was trump and allies of his within the Republican Party who filled the void there. You know, not only calling into question what the Department of Justice was looking for, calling it a political witch hunt a political operation to undermine him as he looks toward his own potential 2024 presidential run here. But in that meanwhile this was Donald trump ultimately also at the same time saying that they were not going to turn over and release publicly the search warrant that was handed over to them, nor were they going to turn over that property receipt which they are in custody of presently. And that's where you hear Merrick garland layout that they have filed that motion to unseal both the search warrant and that property receipt which the trump team already has in their possession and they have declined to turn over. And I think it's interesting because I was talking with a source familiar on trump's side of this and they had said that the burden was on the Department of Justice to be transparent about why they issued the search warrant and wanted to execute it. But now what you're hearing from the Department of Justice is saying essentially that the onus now turns back to the trump team. I think the one other note on this here is when you're looking at the political ramifications of this kate here, there's a lot of question marks as to why these documents were ultimately secured by the Department of Justice as part of this war because our understanding, we have been told that a subpoena was issued to Donald trump this spring. And then on june 3rd there was a meeting in which Donald trump and his lawyers turned over several boxes of material to the Department of Justice. Ultimately, it's clear that the Department of Justice, the FBI did not get what exactly they were looking for and that ultimately led to the search warrant executed earlier this week. So this doesn't just begin in the last couple of days. This is something that has some history back to the spring. Vaughn Hilliard, thank you. Let me go to Chief White House correspondent, Kristen Welker who is with me now, Kristin. First off I saw reporting that a senior White House officials said the White House and President biden did not have any knowledge that this was happening today, that Merrick Garland would be addressing the press. Let's start there. Well, that's absolutely right. Kate and President biden has been trying to keep his distance. In fact, when that search occurred on monday, when we all learned about it, the White House was quick to say that he hadn't been given a heads up about that either. He of course campaigned on a promise to keep his distance from the Justice Department now in the early days of his presidency, he did have what many considered a misstep when he seemed to weigh in on what he thought should have happened to those who did not comply with subpoenas. He walked those comments back though, made it very clear. He sees the Justice Department as independent from the White House. Trying to draw a sharp contrast, of course with his predecessor. So we are seeing that yet again play out today when the White House making it very clear that he didn't have any type of a heads up on what the attorney general was going to say or that he was going to speak at all. The president right now is vacationing in south Carolina kate kristen. This is going to have political ramifications, right? A trump trump spokesperson earlier today called the search unprecedented, absolutely unnecessary raid in their words, said the Department of Justice has been quote weaponized. How is the White House dealing with that political climate that we're in right now? Well, that's a key question because remember the President was poised to take somewhat of a victory lap. He's had a number of legislative victories. He's poised to likely have another one tomorrow when the House passes a key piece of legislation. And so he was going to put his focus on the midterms. And the question becomes, is the White House concerned that that messaging is going to be soaked up by all of this focus now on this search and on his predecessor, former president trump the administration, insisting that it's not going to detract away from their core messaging, but just taking a step back to something that you said at the top that the Attorney general was talking today in the wake of pressure from trump supporters to come out and explain his actions. He was also getting pressured from those inside the Justice Department. I've been talking to current and former Justice Department officials who say they wanted to hear an explanation from the Attorney General about why this dramatic step was necessary. And so now we have it. It's also worth noting that FBI director Christopher wray was asked yesterday about former President trump's baseless claim that FBI agents may have planted evidence and he said he's not going to comment on anything that has to do with this investigation. And you really heard this robust defense from the Attorney General, essentially answering all of the criticism that maybe lobbed against the FBI against the department of just just making it very clear that this was an action that he approved that he believed was necessary and Kristen indeed, he also said that the FBI agents do this work at personal sacrifice and risk. He said, I won't stand by silently when their integrity is being unfairly attacked. Kristen Welker at the White House for us. Kristin, thank you. That concludes our coverage for this hour. We're going to have much more tonight on NBC nightly news for all of us here at NBC News. I'm kate snow. Thank you for watching</p>

AG Merrick Garland makes statement days after FBI raid of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate

Attorney General Merrick Garland spoke Thursday about the FBI's search of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.

In his first public statement since federal agents searched former President Donald Trump's home at Mar-a-Lago earlier this week, Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday said that the Justice Department had filed in court a request that the search warrant and property receipt from the search be unsealed.

Merrick Garland says DOJ filed motion to unseal Trump Mar-a-Lago warrant and property receipt

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U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, said "Joe Biden's attorney general wants the FBI to go after parents for speaking out at school board meetings to protect kids from radical curriculum like critical race theory." PolitiFact checks that claim.

Fact check: Did the AG tell the FBI to 'go after' parents who speak out at school board meetings?

Justice Dept. Sues Texas Over Its New Restrictive Abortion Law

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the news in a Friday press address.

It's the United States V. Georgia as the U. S. Department of Justice files suit, accusing state lawmakers of intentionally discriminating in their new elections law enacted with the purpose of denying or bridging the right of black georgians to vote on account of their race or color. Georgia is one of a string of Republican-controlled states advancing new voter restrictions after former President Trump and his supporters falsely claimed fraud in the 2020 election, Attorney General Merrick Garland saying other states laws are under review where we believe the civil rights of americans have been violated. We will not hesitate to act Georgia. Governor brian kemp on twitter, accusing the biden administration of pushing lies and misinformation about the voting law and quote weaponizing the Department of Justice, insisting he wants to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat. The doj complaint challenges the laws new limits on absentee voting. These changes come immediately after successful absentee voting in the 2020 election cycle, especially among black voters. The suit also points to a reduction in ballot drop boxes, especially around Atlanta, arguing the changes were designed to drive black georgians to vote in person where they're more likely than white voters to encounter long lines. The Justice Department singling out a provision that outlaws giving food and water to voters in line, saying it has unlawful, discriminatory intent. In Washington Alice Barr NBC News. Earlier this week, Senate republicans blocked a sweeping bill to protect and expand voting rights nationwide. Democrats are vowing to keep pushing for legislative change. In Washington Alice Barr NBC News.

Department of Justice suing Georgia over restrictive voting law

Garland was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Yeah. I'm Eric Merrick Garland. Only swear that I will support will support and defend institution of the United States institution of the United States against all enemies against all enemies foreign and are intended that I will bear true faith, their true faith and allegiance. Same thing that I take this obligation freely, that I take this obligation freely without any mental, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, purpose of evasion. And that I will well and faithfully that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties, discharged the duty. And what time about No doubt about it. Help me, God help me! God! Relations General. General. Thank you. Congratulations. Here we That's where we are. Yeah, there.