- Welcome to "The 700 Club."

Weaponizing the JusticeDepartment to intimidate parents.

That's the accusation SenateRepublicans brought against

Attorney General MerrickGarland yesterday,

as they hammered him incongressional hearings.

- The Attorney General doubled down

on his controversial memo.

He also refused to disband a task force

to investigate possible threats

against school board members.

Tara Mergener reports from Washington.

- GOP lawmakers are among those

accusing Garland of callingparents domestic terrorists.

Garland says he never used those words

when asking the Justice Department

to look into threats of violence.

- Did you consider the chilling effect

that this sort of threatof federal prosecution

would have on parents' exercise

of their constitutionalrights to be involved

in their children's education?

- [Tara] Pushing back at pointedcriticism from Republicans,

Attorney General MerrickGarland defending his memo,

asking the Justice Departmentto respond to threats

aimed at school officials.

- I don't believe it's reasonableto read this memorandum

as killing anyone's rights.

It's about threats of violence

and it expressively recognizesthe constitutional right

to make arguments aboutyour children's education.

- [Tara] Garland's memo followed one

by the National School Board Association,

asking the feds to step inand included a reference

to domestic terrorism.

While the group hasapologized, Garland has not.

As this drama plays out, aprotest not far from the Capitol,

Moms for America and other organizations

representing mothers from across the U.S.

- And I take full offenseto the NSBA and the DOJ

referring to concerned parents like myself

as domestic terrorists.

- [Tara] Demanding parentsbe included in curriculum

and policy decisions likecritical race theory.

- CRT is also Marxist ideology.

It is used to divide Americaand silence the oppression.

- [Tara] Meantime, tensionsran high at the Loudoun County

school board meeting Tuesday.

- You have failed our students.

- Two young ladies were scarred forever.

- You were clearly awareof the sexual assault

at Stone Bridge.

- Her life has forever been affected.

= I have lost almost allconfidence I've had in this system

that I have championed for so long.

- [Tara] Parents accusingsuperintendent, Scott Ziegler

of covering up two sexualassaults by a 14 year old student

on school grounds andcalling for Ziegler's

and the board's resignation.

The boy, found guilty thisweek in the first case

to be heard by a judge.

Earlier this week,students staged a walkout.

- Resign or be removed.

- Shame on you.

- [Tara] Garland wasconfronted on this issue too,

the victim's father arrestedat a June school board meeting

while trying to tell theschool board what happened.

- That refers to Scott Smith,

who's 15 year old daughter was raped.

She was raped in a bathroom bya boy wearing girl's clothes.

And the Loudoun Countyschool board covered it up

because it would have interfered

with their transgenderpolicy during Pride Month.

- More developments in Loudoun County,

parents have been askedto sign a nondisclosure

to see a new curriculum

reportedly inspired bycritical race theory, Gordon.

- Tara, let's pick it up there.

Why the nondisclosure agreement?

What are they trying to keep secret?

- That's a great question

because they've insisted allalong that their equity plan

is not critical race theory.

As you know, that'sbeen a huge controversy

in Loudoun county andall around the country.

So on its face, it would seemlike they don't want parents

to talk about whatever iscontained in this plan,

but I don't think they'vegot a good shot at that.

I think those who read it

are certainly going to talk about it.

- Well, there ought to be

a Freedom of Information Request for it.

I mean, this is a public school.

And so anything in the curriculum

is part of the public record.

And if this is what they're contemplating,

then they need to have full disclosure.

Do you see any coincidencewith the timing,

that there's an election coming up?

- I don't think so.

I think the timing isprobably pretty intentional.

You know, there's a lotof question of timing

going on right now abouteverything that's going on.

As far as those hearingsyesterday with Merrick Garland,

the Republicans are questioningthe timing of his memo,

which came just a few days after

the National Association ofSchool Boards put out that memo

comparing parents to domestic terrorists.

And both Ted Cruz and SenatorTom Cotton of Arkansas

are both wondering whether

the White House is calling the shots here,

even though Garland promised

that he would not politicizethe Justice Department.

So I think a lot of thingshaving to do with the election,

Gordon, probably no coincidence,

but certainly some really fiery exchanges

on Capitol Hill yesterday whenit comes to Merrick Garland

and what's happening with that memo

and that domestic terroraccusation by the NSBA,

which by the way, they've retracted that

and Garland, who is not takingback what he said about that,

saying it has no bearingon the Justice Department.

- Well, it's kind of curious timing.

And to say it has no bearing

when it comes days afterreceiving the request

from the NationalAssociation of School Boards

to do exactly what he ended up doing.

It does kind of beg the question,

why don't you just walk it back?

Well, let's talk about Loudoun County

and the superintendent, board members.

There are a lot of callsfor them to resign.

Any signs of that actually happening?

- You know, when the firstschool board member resigned,

Beth Barts, there was a lot of talk

that a number would follow.

Increasingly, callsfor the superintendent,

Scott Ziegler are coming,

including from one of the schoolboard members, John Beatty,

who has called him out andwants him to resign, too.

But as all this is goingon behind the scenes,

the school board member who resigned,

Beth Barts, is loud and clear on Facebook

calling out John Beattyand possibly some other

school board members saying

they all got that same memoabout the sexual assault.

So the thinking is by peoplein the know out there,

as more information comes out,

it may pressure more school board members

and ultimately thesuperintendent to resign.

But at this point, my understanding is

that everybody is holding fromwhile all this shakes out.

- Well, I encourageparents, please hold firm.

You have an absolute right to have a voice

in your child's education.

Well, Tara, thanks for the reporting.

And we'll be tracking this as well.

If you want to get more information,

please download the CBN News app.

We'll be tracking thisstory and its influence,

I think it's obvious influenceon the upcoming election.

Well, in other news, hurricane force winds

left more than half amillion people without power

in the Northeast

and tornadoes then pummeledTexas and Louisiana.

John Jessup has more on that story

from our CBN News bureau in Washington.

- Thanks Gordon.

The nor'easter that hitthe region Wednesday

knocked out power to about600,000 homes and businesses.

Crews now busy restoring service

after hurricane force winds,some near 100 miles an hour,

swept parts of New England.

Meanwhile, another systemspawned dozens of tornadoes

in parts of Texas and Louisiana.

Officials say at least 100homes there were damaged.

And it's not over yet.

Forecasters warn the Northeast

to get ready for more heavyrainfall in the days ahead.

Well, right here in Washington,

Democrats reportedly havereached a framework agreement

on President Biden'smassive social spending bill

at a cost somewhere between$1.7 and $1.9 trillion.

The President is scheduled

to meet with congressionalDemocrats this morning.

Still one item dear toProgressives, paid family leave,

appears to be out.

And that's raising questionswhether enough Democrats

are onboard to pass

the President's $1 trillioninfrastructure plan.

Some Progressives say theywill hold up infrastructure

until they reach a final dealon the social spending bill.

Well, controversy at the State Department

over a policy that approvespassports for people

who don't identify aseither male or female.

As Senior National Affairs Correspondent,

Heather Sells reports,some are pushing back

against the transgender movement.

- The State Department's historic move

shows the full force ofthe transgender movement.

It now allows passport holders

to bypass identifying as maleor female and mark X instead.

Author Abigail Shrier called the change

one of the clearest indicationsthat gender ideology

has infiltrated the highestlevels of government.

The X designation, a concessionto people who identify

as transgender or intersex,

those born with both maleand female characteristics.

- I'm an intersex personand I have rights as such.

- [Heather] The first personto receive the new passport,

Dana Zzyym, an intersexactivist in Colorado.

State will now allow anyoneto select male, female or X

on their passport with nomedical certification required.

It also plans to push other governments

to offer the three genderoptions, a move activists applaud.

- I am hoping that thiswill, as soon as possible,

become routine.

- [Heather] The move, a challenge to those

who hold biblical beliefs about sexuality.

- They are putting thestamp of human rights

on people's thoughts on what is moral.

And this is actually immoral.

- [Heather] At the sametime, Republican led states

are pushing back againsttransgender activism.

This week, Texas GovernorGreg Abbott signed a bill

requiring public schoolathletes to compete

based on their biological sex.

Five other states havepassed similar laws.

And new research is raising questions

about transgender medicine.

- I think it's heartbreakingthat some of these young people

didn't get the evaluation, the support,

the kind of mental healthservices that they needed.

- [Heather] In a peer reviewed study,

Dr. Lisa Littman foundthat the majority of those

who reversed theirdecision to change genders

reported they did notreceive adequate evaluations

from medical providers beforethey started to transition.

Heather Sells, CBN News.

- All right, thank you, Heather.

Well, turning overseas,Palestinians in Gaza

are protesting an agreementthat restores U.S. funding

to the UN agency that supports them.

In July, the Bidenadministration signed a deal

to resume funding to the United Nations'

Relief and Works Agencyfor Palestine Refugees

after the Trump White House cut it off.

The agreement calls on UNRWAto make sure U.S. funds

won't go to help any refugeereceiving military training

from guerrilla type groups

or anyone who's engaged in terrorism.

It also calls for monitoringPalestinian school curriculum

for antisemitism.

Palestinians say the agreementviolates their rights.

Now, UN Watch, a watchdoggroup is calling on UNWRA

to identify employeesit recently suspended

because of ties toterror groups like Hamas.

The agency reportedly suspendedat least six employees

accused of antisemitism andincitement against Israel.

Former Israeli Ambassadorto the United Nations,

Danny Danon told CBN News,

UNWRA no longer serves a useful purpose.

- I think it's abouttime to dissolve UNWRA.

We have seen the incitement in the past.

We have seen the curriculumin the UNWRA schools.

And we have seen the corroboration

with Hamas terrorists in Gaza.

So I think, every once in a while

you would hear those reports.

I think for the long-term itis about time to replace UNWRA.

- And this as UNWRA faces a budget crisis,

the agency will host aconference for donors next month,

looking to raise $800 million a year

for the next three years.

Gordon, I know that you havebeen warning against UNWRA

for quite some time.

- Yes, the agency needs to go away.

It was established back in1948 to take care of the Arabs

who voluntarily left Israel,and I underline that.

They were told by theneighboring Arab countries,

the countries that surrounded Israel,

to evacuate so they wouldn'tbe collateral damage.

Because when Israeldeclared its independence,

those countries declared war.

And so they're not war refugeesbecause of what Israel did.

All Israel did wasdeclare its independence.

They are refugees becauseof what the Arabs did.

So here we are more than 70 years later,

and still, they're asking for millions,

hundreds of millionsof dollars to continue,

quote, "supporting therefugees" close quote.

Well, it's now in the fifthgeneration since 1948.

You know, at some point in time,

they have to get real about,

okay, can we now live in Lebanon?

Can we now live in Jordan?

And can we ever form a Palestinian state?

They always refuse to do it.

And why is that?

Because their ideologyhasn't changed since 1948.

Their ideology is todrive Israel into the sea.

They have no tolerance for Israel.

They have no tolerance for the Jews.

So here comes our State Department saying,

well, we want to help people

and so we're going to sign this agreement.

And in the agreement it has,

we have zero tolerance for anyone

who's going to be partof a terrorist group.

We're going to have zerotolerance for anyone

teaching children and teachinghatred and incitement.

Okay, so that's their policy.

That's what they signed back in July.

So here we are inOctober and what happens?

Now UNWRA's looking formoney and the UN Watch,

they came in and evaluatedsocial media posts

and statements by teacherswho are teaching children

in these refugee camps andin the Palestinian areas.

They're the ones teaching.

What are they teaching?

Well, three of them identified by UN Watch

are teaching that Hitler is a hero

and this is what they'reinstructing the children.

Another one was teaching thatwe should kill Jewish boys.

Another one was teaching weshould kill Jewish rabbis.

So where is the zero tolerance?

The UN Watch identifiedover a hundred employees

who were doing this kind of activity

and publicly proclaimingantisemitic, anti-Jewish,

anti-Israel sentiment.

And UNWRA says, well, we'regoing to suspend six of them.

And that shows how much we'reenforcing our zero tolerance.

But here's the kicker, they'rebeing suspended with pay.

So, what are you and Ias U.S. taxpayers doing?

We're funding that.

We're paying them.

And so much for the zero tolerance.

Here's a bright idea.

Let's get Ben & Jerry's to ban ice cream

at the State Department andmaybe they'll get some sense

and say, our tax dollars shouldn't go

to support this anymore.