House Votes to Hold Attorney General Garland in Contempt for Failing to Comply

In a significant development, the House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress. This decision came about due to Garland’s failure to comply with a subpoena requesting the unredacted audio of an interview between President Joe Biden and Special Counsel Robert Hur as part of an investigation into Biden’s handling of classified materials.

The resolution to hold Garland in contempt, championed by Republican lawmakers, passed in the Judiciary Committee with an 18-15 party-line vote and is now heading for a full House vote. If passed, Garland would be the third Attorney General in U.S. history to face contempt from Congress.

Today I testified before the House Rules Committee to explain why Congress should hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt. The AG has ignored 2 subpoenas demanding the release of the audio from Special Counsel Hur’s interview with Joe Biden. What is he concealing and why? pic.com/dpiP5Sa091

— Rep. Harriet Hageman (@RepHageman) June 11, 2024

Republicans, led by Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, argued that Garland’s refusal to release the audio recording hampers their oversight duties. They stress the importance of transparency in the investigation, given the seriousness of the allegations against President Biden regarding mishandling classified materials found in his former office at the Penn Biden Center and his Delaware home.

The White House has supported Garland’s stance, citing executive privilege as the reason. This legal concept allows the president and top executive branch officials to withhold information from Congress or courts to protect confidential exchanges within the executive branch. The administration asserts that disclosing the audio could create a risky precedent, compromising future presidents’ ability to have frank discussions with advisors.

Bring the Merrick Garland contempt resolution to the House floor. If it doesn’t pass, at least we’ll know who is willing to face the challenges of our times.

— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) June 12, 2024

The subpoena for the audio recording was issued after lawmakers received a transcript of the interview. Despite the transcript, Republicans argue that the audio is crucial to fully grasp the context and tone of the President’s statements during the interview.

The decision to hold Garland in contempt highlights the broader approach of House Republicans in scrutinizing and challenging the Biden administration’s actions rigorously. This includes ongoing examinations of various matters such as the administration’s border security policies and responses to the COVID-19 crisis.

Democrats, however, criticize the contempt resolution as a political gesture, claiming that the investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents is being exploited to gain political advantage ahead of the 2024 elections. Representative Jerry Nadler, the Judiciary Committee’s ranking member, accuses Republicans of weaponizing oversight for partisan gains.

As the full House prepares to vote on the contempt resolution, the outcome could significantly impact the balance of power between Congress and the executive branch, as well as raise questions about the extent to which executive privilege can be used to shield information from legislative review.