The Left has been hiding behind the DOJ for long enough. But now, Republican leaders are fighting back.
And a new House development against AG Garland could completely change everything.
The House Judiciary Committee is preparing to initiate contempt of Congress proceedings against Attorney General Merrick Garland amid a dispute over recordings from special counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents.
The move signals a significant escalation in the conflict between House Republicans and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Negotiations between the two parties have stalled, and a source confirmed to The Daily Wire that a markup session is scheduled for Thursday, May 16.
The proceedings stem from a subpoena issued by House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) to obtain audio recordings of Hur’s interviews with President Biden and Biden’s ghostwriter, Mark Zwonitzer.
In an April 15 letter to Garland, Comer and Jordan accused him of withholding the recordings for partisan reasons.
They stated that Garland’s response to their previous requests was “inadequate” and warned they would have “no choice but to invoke contempt of Congress proceedings” if he did not comply by April 25.
The letter, obtained by The Daily Caller, emphasized the lawmakers’ frustration, saying, “Your response to the subpoenas remains inadequate, suggesting that you are withholding records for partisan purposes and to avoid political embarrassment for President Biden.”
The pair insisted that the DOJ produce all responsive materials by April 25, 2024, to avoid the impending contempt proceedings.
The DOJ, however, contends that it has already provided sufficient information. Assistant Attorney General Carlos Uriarte responded to the lawmakers, stating that the transcripts provided from the two-day interview with Biden and the interview with Zwonitzer should suffice.
Hur’s report, released in February, criticized Biden’s retention of classified records while out of office but ultimately did not recommend charges.
The report described Biden as a “sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” and suggested a jury would not convict him of a serious felony requiring willfulness.
The report also revealed that Zwonitzer deleted recordings of his conversations with Biden upon learning about the documents inquiry, but Hur determined that the evidence would not support an obstruction of justice conviction.
The White House has pushed back against Hur’s characterization of Biden in the report, while Garland has defended the special counsel’s work.
During congressional testimony in April, Garland noted the DOJ’s “longstanding practice” of keeping witness records confidential to avoid chilling future investigations.
He emphasized that editing or censoring the special counsel’s explanation would have been “absurd” for someone in his position.
The upcoming contempt proceedings reflect broader tensions between congressional Republicans and the Biden administration.
The GOP lawmakers argue that transparency is crucial, especially when it involves potential misconduct by a sitting president.
However, the DOJ refuses to comply because they maintain that the requests go beyond legitimate oversight functions and threaten to politicize the investigative process.
The outcome of this dispute could set significant precedents for future interactions between Congress and the Department of Justice, particularly in matters involving sensitive or classified information.
Stay tuned to Prudent Politics.
