REPORT: With Garland as Her Stooge, Monaco Orchestrated a War on Parents—In Part, to Influence Elections
By Kelly John Walker and Sam Sorbo, Parents Demanding Justice Alliance (PDJA) for Lindell Offense Fund
In October 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice—under the direction of Attorney General Merrick Garland and vigorously defended and implemented by Deputy AG Lisa Monaco—issued a sweeping memorandum claiming a “disturbing spike” in threats and intimidation of school officials. On its face, it sounded like a common-sense safety directive. In reality, it became a blueprint for chilling parental speech nationwide.
What makes this memo extraordinary—but deeply troubling—is that no credible crime supported it, no federal indictments ever followed, and a number of law-enforcement officials, DOJ lawyers, and NSBA members expressed opposition to it. The record shows that Monaco and her office knowingly manufactured justifications, overrode internal objections, and deployed federal power against concerned parents exercising their First Amendment rights. Ostensibly, Merrick Garland rubber stamped it as a figurehead stooge.
The memo did immense harm to parents across the nation, including widespread financial ruin from legal fees and fines, job losses after FBI visits were leaked to employers, family breakdowns under the weight of government surveillance, and lasting reputational damage in their communities as parents were smeared as “extremists” simply for speaking out—even leading to at least two suicides. The memo’s timing also had an effect on elections, starting with the 2021 contest between Republican Glenn Youngkin and Democrat Terry McAuliffe in November 2021—a race where education and parents’ rights at school board meetings were central issues.
Let’s unpack how Monaco bullied her way to a fraudulent, political campaign to demonize American parents across the nation.
The Manufactured Pretext
On September 29, 2021, then-President Viola M. Garcia and then-Interim Executive Director Chip Slaven of the National School Boards Association (NSBA) penned a provocative letter to Joe Biden, labeling parents as “domestic terrorists” and urging federal intervention. The letter, as internal FOIA correspondence shows, was coordinated with the White House and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.
“I understand Chip [Slaven] knew about the A.G. directives before they were published. So much for communicating with the BOD [Board of Directors],” NSBA southern regional director Pam Doyle wrote in an email to SBA Board of Directors member Beverly Slough on Oct. 5—one day after Garland’s memo was issued.
“The American people deserve the truth about this issue immediately,” PDE President Nicole Neilly told Fox News at the time. “It is appalling that the Department of Justice and Education Department have continued to stonewall on this scandal, ignoring pleas not only from the very people they are supposed to represent but also from the elected officials to whom they report. It’s little wonder that trust in government is at a historic low point.”
Within the DOJ, staffers quietly warned that no preexisting federal statute matched what the memo sought to address. “We’re aware; the challenge here is finding a federal hook,” read one October 1, 2021 email. Another official cautioned that DOJ was deploying “an awful lot of federal manpower for what is currently non-federal conduct.”
Even within the NSBA, outrage erupted almost immediately after the September 29 letter was sent to the White House. Board members complained that they had been cut out of the process and forced to defend language they never approved.
Pam Doyle of Alabama wrote that “the Board of Directors should have been consulted before a letter like this was sent out publicly, and no less to the President of the United States and the National Press.”
Others agreed that the letter’s language was reckless. Louisiana director Jonas Chartock warned that “the letter took a stance that went beyond what many of us would consider to be reasonable and used terms that were extreme and asked for action by the Federal Government that many of us would not request.”
For Indiana’s Steve Corona, the fallout was immediate at the local level: “Many of us have been put in a position now of explaining or defending this action of our association as we are asked by members of our community if we consider them domestic terrorists for showing up to our meetings and expressing their opinions.”
After its own internal investigation on the letter, leading to a statement by John Heim, the NSBA’s new executive director and CEO: “The National School Boards Association (NSBA) is launching an independent comprehensive review of the circumstances around the September 2021 letter sent to the Biden administration. The sentiments shared in the letter do not represent the views or position of NSBA toward parents, and directly contradict our core commitment to parent engagement—we sent the wrong message, and we have apologized.”
As Deputy AG, Monaco’s office oversaw a working group that compelled DOJ divisions to hunt for any legal authority to anchor the memo—even when none clearly existed. In effect, they reversed the proper legal order: first impose power, then find statutory cover.
Lisa Monaco’s Paper-Thin Justifications
At a public hearing October 5, 2021, Monaco insisted DOJ’s effort only targeted criminal conduct, but that claim was completely false. DOJ could name no specific threat, incident, or group that warranted federal intervention. Indeed, even the FBI’s own Counterterrorism Division flagged the memo’s vagueness and sought rewording—concerns that Monaco’s office suppressed.
Monaco repeatedly asserted that the directive would not penalize peaceful dissent. Yet the memo explicitly invoked “harassment” and “intimidation”—terms ripe for subjective application.
Monaco claimed that parents voices would still be heard, but that assertion collapses under scrutiny because free speech was chilled and many parents were intimidated into silence by the threat of federal prosecution. DOJ records show the creation of “threat tags” and dozens of parent investigations launched under the October 4 directive.
Meanwhile, credible threats against parents—including death threats and harassment of Kelly John Walker’s family—were ignored, as Walker himself faced suspicion. (The Walker case became Exhibit A, and is now considered the bellwether case, clearly demonstrating the corruption and abuse initiated by DOJ under Garland and Monaco, based on fabrications were absorbed into the NSBA narrative, then used to justify federal intrusion.)
Internal DOJ emails confirm that Monaco’s team was urged to find statutory “hooks” to legitimize what otherwise would be seen as overreach.
Once the memo was in place, Walker and other parents became targets. They were flagged under “threat tags,” scrutinized by FBI offices, even though their recorded behavior presented no lawful basis for federal action.
Documented Victim Testimonials & Systemic Weaponization
The Targeted Parents Dossier (PDJA, July 2025) offers heartbreaking confirmation of what was once theoretical.
Walker’s account and scores of others include extended FBI surveillance, arrest threats, and escalating fines—all despite absence of any legitimate threat. Parents in multiple states told of local law enforcement and federal agents treating them as criminals for simply demanding school-board transparency.
These reports validate what the memo always threatened: the weaponization of government against peaceful speech. Monaco’s sanitized assurances were mere cover for unconstitutional political targeting and lawfare.
Congressional Oversight & Institutional Admission
The House Judiciary/Weaponization Subcommittee’s Interim Report (March 21, 2023) blasted the memo as lacking any valid national law-enforcement purpose.
- U.S. Attorneys around the country told staff they saw no national threat—some called the entire campaign “manufactured.”
- None of the Guardian assessments initiated under the memo resulted in charges.
- DOJ documents conceded that many local law enforcement agencies viewed the directive as misapplied.
- The report explicitly flagged the memo’s timing as political, coinciding with the 2021 Virginia election.
A June 2023 letter to Congress emphasized DOJ and FBI’s refusal to hand over White House–NSBA correspondence and defiant resistance to subpoenas—implying deliberate concealment.
Monaco’s October 4 directive trampled constitutional safeguards on multiple fronts. By conflating “harassment” and “intimidation” with enforceable threats, her DOJ blurred the line between protest and crime, weaponizing vague terms to chill core political speech protected by the First Amendment.
It also undermined the balance of federalism. Education and school governance are reserved to states and local boards, yet Monaco’s task force imposed a federal presence on hyperlocal disputes, disguising an illegitimate federal operation under the mask of local enforcement. As parent advocate Kelly John Walker put it, “The Feds ordered a ‘hit’ on dissenting parents, and local authorities carried it out under their direction.”
Finally, due process itself was cast aside. DOJ’s own lawyers had cautioned that the memo lacked a statutory foundation, but under Monaco’s leadership the policy marched forward anyway—proof that political will, not legal necessity, was driving the Department’s actions.
Political Motive & Election Influence
Monaco’s DOJ wasn’t responding to a wave of credible threats—it was positioning itself to preempt dissent ahead of political cycles.
- The Interim Report notes the memo dropped in the lead-up to the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial race, where school policy was central.
- The Targeted Parents Dossier and RealFreedomTalk.com coverage warn that DOJ’s enforcement fell disproportionately in swing districts and states.
- Their 2024 analysis explicitly states that such federal targeting serves as preemptive political control, aiming to silence grassroots criticism before the next election round.
The Role of PDJA: Demanding Justice for Parents
While Monaco’s DOJ sought to criminalize parental dissent, groups like the Parents Demanding Justice Alliance (PDJA) have been on the front lines pushing back.
Co-founded by one of the most severely targeted parents, Kelly John Walker, and movie producer and education advocate Sam Sorbo, PDJA has compiled evidence, organized testimonies, and delivered dossiers—including the comprehensive Targeted Parents Dossier—to Congress, the DOJ, and the White House.
PDJA has coordinated with allies across Capitol Hill, urging an Executive Order to vindicate parents, provide restitution, and bring the perpetrators to justice. Their advocacy highlights the damage done by Monaco’s DOJ, while calling for accountability and constitutional reform.
As RealFreedomTalk.com/PDJA documents, PDJA continues to grow as a coalition determined to protect parental rights, expose government retaliation, and secure justice for families across the nation.
Conclusion: The Case for Accountability
Lisa Monaco cannot credibly paint herself as a neutral enforcer of law. She oversaw a program built on sheer fabrication—no crimes, no federal statutes, no local support—and weaponized it against American citizens. Her public defenses masked the reality: she led an evil, corrupt fraud on the American people, converting concern into suspicion and dissent into destroying the lives of families.
If there is to be justice, it must begin with holding Monaco—or those who enabled this architecture—accountable for casting parents as enemies, not citizens.
Thanks to the tireless work of groups like PDJA, America now has a record of the truth. The fight for justice is ongoing, and parents will not be silenced.
Lisa Monaco & DOJ: Claims vs. Counterclaims
| Claim (Lisa Monaco / DOJ) | Counterclaim (Lawmakers, Media, Reports) |
| DOJ/FBI were not intervening in school-board meetings; memo only ensured communication to address violence. | House Judiciary/Weaponization report (Mar. 21, 2023): DOJ records show no law-enforcement basis; FBI created EDUOFFICIALS threat tag and engaged counterterrorism resources. |
| Memo targets violence only; “spirited debate is welcome.” | Whistleblowers: FBI opened assessments nationwide; protected speech (e.g., “vote you out”) triggered federal interest. Multiple peaceful parents investigated, arrested. |
| “That is not going on” (no FBI involvement). | Sen. Josh Hawley (Oct. 5, 2021) accused DOJ of unprecedented FBI involvement; Fox News reported Hawley/Cotton grilled Monaco, calling memo “wrong” and “dangerous.” |
| Memo responded to rise in threats. | NSBA apologized for its “domestic terrorism” letter; many state associations quit NSBA. DOJ’s own docs showed no nationwide predicate for the memo. |
| DOJ did not target parents. | House Judiciary GOP (2022): DOJ “labeled dozens of parents as terrorist threats.” AP: FBI created specific threat tag; DOJ denied targeting, but existence of tag confirmed. |
| No White House/NSBA coordination. | House report (Mar. 2023): White House & NSBA coordinated language. AFL FOIA docs (2025) show Biden White House coordination. |
| Threat tag ≠ investigations; just tracking. | Whistleblowers: FBI opened investigations in nearly every region, including cases premised on core political speech. |
| Memo was prudent and remains appropriate. | House report: DOJ should rescind memo; it chilled speech. Senate Republicans (Dec. 2021) demanded withdrawal after revelation of FBI Counterterrorism Division role. |
| Parents voicing concerns aren’t “domestic terrorists.” | Garland said he couldn’t “imagine” parents so labeled, yet DOJ memo + FBI tag signaled otherwise, prompting assessments of parents. |
| Federal action was necessary to keep schools safe. | Parents testified (Mar. 2023) that federal scrutiny followed their school-board remarks; critics: thin predicates used to justify chilling dissent, arresting concerned parents. |
The Parents Demanding Justice Alliance (PDJA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by Kelly John Walker and Sam Sorbo to defend the rights of parents and protect American families from political persecution. Formed in response to the October 4, 2021, “Garland memo” that labeled concerned parents as potential “domestic terrorists,” PDJA documents abuses, advocates for justice, and provides direct support to those targeted for standing up for their children’s education and constitutional rights. Through public awareness campaigns, congressional engagement, and legal advocacy, PDJA is committed to ensuring such abuses never happen again and that victims are fully restored.
Follow Sam Sorbo:
https://x.com/thesamsorbo
https://sorbostudios.com/sam-sorbo
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https://realfreedomtalk.com
References
- DefendingEd FOIA – NSBA-Biden Letter (Sept. 29, 2021): https://defendinged.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Email-Correspondence_NSBA-Letter-to-President-Biden_Redacted.pdf
- https://nypost.com/2022/02/14/nsba-head-chip-slaven-knew-about-ags-controversial-school-board-memo-emails-show/
- Walker Report to DOJ (Sept. 2025): Internal DOJ emails showing lack of federal hook².
- America First Legal & Parents Defending Education Report (Oct. 4 Memo, 3-Year Anniversary): DOJ Associate AG directives³.
- AFL/PDE Report – DOJ struggled to cite specific incidents (2024).
- AFL/PDE Report – FBI Counterterrorism Division⁵ objections to memo.
- Walker Report & AFL Findings – vague use of harassment/intimidation.
- AFL/PDE disclosures – creation of threat tags⁷ and parent investigations.
- Walker Report – FBI ignored threats⁸ against parents while targeting them.
- Walker Report – Vail School District hoax disproved by video.
- AFL & Walker Report – FBI scrutiny of parents¹⁰ under false pretext.
- REDACTED Targeted Parents Dossier¹¹ (July 2025): https://realfreedomtalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/REDACTED-Targeted-Parents-Dossier-062725-7.pdf
- Ibid., Walker testimony¹² section.
- Ibid., Testimonies of Federal Weaponization¹³.
- House Judiciary Interim Report (Mar. 21, 2023): https://realfreedomtalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2023-03-21-school-board-documents-interim-report.pdf
- Ibid., Executive Summary – Guardian assessments¹⁵.
- Ibid., U.S. Attorney survey findings.
- Ibid., Political timing (Virginia election¹⁷).
- Letter to Congress¹⁸ (June 1, 2023): https://realfreedomtalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Letter-to-Congress-Targeting-Parents-060123.pdf
- Interim Report, Judiciary – Virginia election¹⁷ timing.
- REDACTED Targeted Parents Dossier¹¹ – swing state impacts.
- RealFreedomTalk (Election Analysis, 2024): https://realfreedomtalk.com/how-will-dojs-targeting-of-school-parents-influence-the-24-elections/
- NSBA FOIA Emails – Pam Doyle²², Oct. 1, 2021 dissent.
- NSBA FOIA Emails – Jonas Chartock²³ objection.
- NSBA FOIA Emails – Steve Corona²⁴ objection.
