Merrick Garland’s fate hangs in balance as House readies contempt vote
House votes Wednesday on whether or not to hold Attorney-General Garland in contempt.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives will vote to hold Attorney General Merrick G. Garland in contempt of Congress for his failure to produce audio recording of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Biden.
Hur’s findings cleared Biden from wrongdoing regarding his handling of classified information, but said that the 81-year old president “presented himself as a sympathetic and well-meaning elderly man with a bad memory.” It would also be “difficult to convince a juror that they should convict Biden-by then, a former President well into his 80s-of a serious crime that requires mental state of intentionality.”
Biden and allies reacted aggressively to concerns raised by the report about Biden’s mental fitness.
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Republicans argue that the audio recording would give a critical context to Biden’s mental state. Democrats have dismissed this request as an attempt by a political party to politicize DOJ.
The House GOP is investigating whether Biden used his political position for his own and his family’s benefit. Biden has denied allegations of wrongdoing.
While the majority of Republicans support the measure as well, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has limited room for manoeuvre: he can lose only two votes in any party-line vote.
Fox News Digital reported that two Republicans, Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) and Dan Newhouse (R-Wash. ), are still undecided about their vote.
“I have to make the final decision.” If they have already released the transcripts it does not seem like there is any legal basis to hold back the release of the videos. Newhouse stated that this seemed like a thing they should do.
Ciscomani said: “I would like to know the exact purpose of that before I make any comments.”
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), a member of the House Freedom Caucus, criticised the indecision of moderates.
Norman said: “I would be shocked if moderates didn’t agree with me that Merrick Garland should be censured for not turning over the audio that solidified whatever testimony was.”
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) said that she would force a vote for her own inherent conditon resolution against Garland, if DOJ failed to pursue him if Wednesday’s resolution passed. A resolution of inherent contempt would instruct the sergeant-at-arms to arrest the target, rather than pass it on to the DOJ.
Luna stated, “As it stands now, we are fully committed to bringing this case.” “I’m not sure I have much confidence in the Department of Justice. The American people don’t either. We are trying to restore a level playing ground and demonstrate that there should be accountability from the bottom to the top.”
Democrats, on the other hand, have criticized the GOP’s efforts. Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) said: “This is the thing they want to because they don’t even have enough votes to impeach Joe Biden. Merrick Garland was the reason they chose to do so. Hunter Biden was the target. “It’s all about pleasing their base, because Congress does not want to do what Donald Trump wanted to impeach Joe Biden to even the score.”
The GOP’s targeting of Garland forms part of an effort to crackdown on the alleged weaponization by Biden officials of the DOJ. This includes various pieces legislation and public threats of defunding various aspects of department, including special counsel currently investigating the former President Trump.
Fox News Digital contacted the DOJ to get a comment on Garland’s contempt resolution.
In an op-ed published in the Washington Post on Tuesday, Garland made a subtle dig at Republicans who have been pushing back against the DOJ.
In recent weeks we have witnessed an increase in attacks which go beyond the scrutiny of the public, criticism and our legitimate and necessary supervision. “They are personal, dangerous and baseless,” he wrote. These attacks are in the form threats to cut funding for specific department investigations. Most recently, the Special Counsel’s prosecution against the former President.
