House Republicans Vote to Hold AG Merrick Garland in Contempt of Congress

The House of Representatives voted in favor of holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress on Wednesday. 

For Context: House Republicans are seeking an audio tape recording of an interview with President Joe Biden conducted by Special Counsel Robert Hur. Hur interviewed Biden during an investigation into the discovery of classified documents at Biden’s office and residence. Hur cleared Biden of any wrongdoing but noted in his report that Biden has memory issues. The transcript of the interview was already provided to Congress, but the Biden administration invoked executive privilege to block the release of the audio recording.

Details: The vote passed 216-207. All Democratic congressional members voted against the measure. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) was the only Republican to vote against the measure. 

Key Quotes: Rep. James Comer (R-KY) stated prior to the vote, “Attorney General Merrick Garland’s refusal to produce this evidence establishes a clear pattern of obstruction by the DOJ to cover up President Biden’s wrongdoing.” Following the vote, Garland stated, “It is deeply disappointing that this House of Representatives has turned a serious congressional authority into a partisan weapon. Today’s vote disregards the constitutional separation of powers, the Justice Department’s need to protect its investigations, and the substantial amount of information we have provided to the Committees.”

How the Media Covered It: The Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) noted that the proceedings will “likely not result in any criminal proceedings for Garland, as he heads the Justice Department.”