Jeffrey Toobin accuses Garland of 'bothsiderism' during Jan. 6 address: It's 'only' GOP defending the rioters

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CNN chief legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin took aim at Attorney General Merrick Garland for attempting to strike a bipartisan tone on behalf of the Justice Department. 

During his lengthy remarks commemorating the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot on Capitol Hill, Garland provided an update on the DOJ's ongoing investigations into the hundreds of criminals who have been arrested and charged for their involvement. 

AG MERRICK GARLAND SAYS JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS ‘NO HIGHER PRIORITY’ THAN INVESTIGATING JAN. 6 CAPITOL RIOT

Garland also rejected the notion that the DOJ was acting in a partisan manner in solely going after political foes of the Biden administration while listing various criminal incidents that occurred beyond the Capitol riot. 

"These acts and threats of violence are not associated with any one set of partisan or ideological views, but they are permeating so many parts of our national life that they risk becoming normalized and routine if we do not stop them," Garland said. 

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks at the Department of Justice,  in advance of the one year anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. Carolyn Kaster/Pool via REUTERS

Such a bipartisan tone did not sit well with Toobin. 

"I have to say, there was another thing that jumped out at me where he said this not just one political party. Really?" Toobin asked. "There's only one political party that I'm aware of, the Republican Party, that's been leading the effort to undermine the rule of law and to undermine the right to vote."

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He added, "And I thought in this effort to seem bipartisan, he engaged in some bogus bothsiderism when it's really only one political party in this country that is trying to limit the right to vote and only one political party that's been defending the people who rioted on January 6th." 

Toobin infamously returned to CNN's airwaves following his infamous Zoom masturbation scandal in 2020 that led to his firing from the New Yorker magazine.

CNN has a lengthy history of defending and downplaying left-wing violence that took place at the BLM riots in 2020. 

NY TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD CALLS FOR NUKING THE FILIBUSTER, PROCLAIMING ‘EVERY DAY IS JAN. 6’

The liberal network infamously ran an on-air graphic during the Kenosha riots following the police-involved shooting of Jacob Blake that read "Fiery but mostly peaceful protests" as a reporter was standing in front of cars that were set on fire.

(CNN)

Former "Cuomo Prime Time" anchor Chris Cuomo blasted those who believe the national "problem" is the riots that have taken place and not the police brutality that prompted the nationwide protests.

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"Now too many see the protests as the problem. No, the problem is what forced your fellow citizens to take to the streets: persistent, poisonous inequities and injustice," Cuomo told his viewers in June 2020. "And please, show me where it says protesters are supposed to be polite and peaceful. Because I can show you that outraged citizens are what made the country what she is and led to any major milestone. To be honest, this is not a tranquil time."

Cuomo and his primetime colleague Don Lemon also mocked the rising crime at the time, suggesting it was merely fear-mongering.

"Democratic cities are in chaos right now, is this what you want from Joe Biden?" Lemon said, mocking Republicans. "And they're gonna take your country away and they're taking down the statues."

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"Crime is rising as they defund police," Cuomo chimed in.

"My gosh, it's so bad!" Lemon continued, impersonating Republicans. 

According to local police departments, at least 16 cities saw a record number of homicides in 2021.