This screams corruption. Why so much secrecy?
The Justice Department announced on Friday that Attorney General Merrick Garland will not face prosecution for contempt of Congress regarding his refusal to release audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interview in a classified documents case. According to a letter addressed to House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Justice Department official referenced the department’s policy of not prosecuting officials for contempt of Congress when they refuse to comply with subpoenas due to a claim of executive privilege by the president.
This decision comes in response to the House’s vote on Wednesday, where they held Garland in contempt for his refusal to provide the audio recordings. The White House had argued that the Republicans’ request for the recordings was politically motivated, intending to manipulate them for their own agenda. When the deadline to comply with the subpoena arrived, the White House invoked executive privilege to block the release of the recordings.
The vote, which resulted in a 216-207 split along party lines, saw Republicans rallying behind the contempt motion, despite some hesitations from more centrist members of the party. Notably, only one Republican, Rep. David Joyce of Ohio, dissented.
Garland’s case marks the third instance of an attorney general being held in contempt of Congress. Throughout the proceedings, Garland has defended the Justice Department’s actions, emphasizing their efforts to cooperate with the committees investigating special counsel Robert Hur’s inquiry into classified documents. Among these efforts was the provision of a transcript of Biden’s interview with Hur, showcasing the department’s commitment to transparency within the bounds of executive privilege.
