Staff Reports
House Republicans are progressing with a resolution to accuse Attorney General Merrick Garland of contempt of Congress, asserting that he is impeding their impeachment inquiry regarding President Joe Biden's conversation with former special counsel Robert Hur.
The House is poised to vote on the resolution, which could potentially recommend criminal prosecution for Garland, as soon as Wednesday.
The Department of Justice has already made public the complete transcripts of Biden's interviews. However, Republicans contend that audio recordings are essential to evaluate Biden's memory and assess whether Hur administered justice appropriately. The recordings might uncover subtle nuances in Biden's responses, aiding in the determination of whether he deliberately misused his position for personal financial benefit.
Said the liberal parasite 🪱 🖕🏽
Raskin accuses House GOP of ‘political opportunism’ ahead of contempt vote #Houserepublicanshttps://t.co/ObLnkpYm9F
— Sticklizard (@Sticklizard3) June 11, 2024
House Oversight Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin accused Republicans of resorting to "political opportunism" and desperation in their attempt to blame someone for the failure of the impeachment inquiry.
Raskin argued that listening to the recordings would not reveal any new evidence of an impeachable offense. The materials subpoenaed by Republicans were unnecessary because they already knew everything the President said in the interview. He called the idea of needing the audio recordings "simply ludicrous."
At Garland's request, the White House has invoked executive privilege to prevent the release of the audio recordings. They justify this action by emphasizing their dedication to safeguarding the integrity, effectiveness, and independence of the Department of Justice. Republicans have alleged that the White House obstructs the disclosure because it might result in political repercussions during an election year.
Raskin criticized Republicans for advancing the contempt resolution as a diversion tactic from the halted impeachment inquiry concerning the Biden family. He argued that Republicans are keen to say that their impeachment attempt fell short due to evidence being withheld, constructing the accusation that Attorney General Garland obstructed their impeachment inquiry.
The House Rules Committee is set to deliberate on the contempt resolutions on Tuesday, with a total House vote anticipated to take place as early as Wednesday.
