Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) grilled President Joe Biden's top law enforcement official during a recent House Judiciary Committee hearing about what he sees as the politicization of the justice system.

The weaponization of government is not a concern for the American people. @Justice Republican We started talking about it.

This is concerning because Attorney General Garland and the Department of Justice have made targeting Biden's political opponents a top priority, and the American people know they could be next. pic.twitter.com/ekBlwsGlBm

— Rep. Barry Moore (@RepBarryMoore) June 4, 2024

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland testified Tuesday as Republican lawmakers criticized the prosecution of former President Donald Trump.

“The FBI is spreading “baseless and extremely dangerous falsehoods about law enforcement activities,” Garland said.

Moore, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, questioned the attorney general about why many Americans distrust the justice system.

“We talk a lot here about attacks on the rule of law and embracing misinformation,” Moore said. “When I travel around this district, or at least in this district, what I see the most is the American people. [2021]but not anymore, now it is a border, [2021] Mr. Garland, it was a concern about the weaponization of the government against the American people. What do you think caused that concern?”

Garland responded by criticizing the behavior of Republican lawmakers in Congress and the media.

“I think when people say the word 'weaponization' over and over again, it can influence people's beliefs, whether or not they're based on evidence,” Garland said.

RELATED: Rep. Moore: Americans “shouldn't fear” government

Later in the conversation, Moore mentioned Trump's recent criminal conviction.

“As we start to see events like what happened last week that are unprecedented in the history of our country, does the credibility of the Department of Justice and American justice and the rule of law remain intact? Do you think that has more to do with what we're saying here?”

Garland told Moore that Trump's sentence was outside his jurisdiction.

“Last week referred to a jury verdict in a state case involving the Department of Justice,” he explained. “I'm not going to comment on that.”

A New York jury last week found Donald Trump guilty of all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, the first time in American history that a former president has been convicted of a crime.

Moore concluded by arguing that Garland is responsible for the current deep distrust in the U.S. justice system.

“We are politicizing the justice system,” he said. “That's what's happening in America, and people are waking up. I'm not talking about us here… The grassroots of America are asking us that very question. And when you convict someone, or at least try to convict someone, and then donate $200 million within 48 hours, you're sending a signal that you've completely lost faith in the system.”

“And under your watch, our justice system has lost its credibility,” Moore added. “The direction of the Department of Justice is concerning for our country and certainly for the future.”

Yaffe is a contributing writer for Yellow Hammer News and hosts “The Yaffe Program” weekdays from 9-11 a.m. WhistlerYou can follow him on X @Yaffe