Washington, D.C. – In a tight vote on Wednesday, the Republican-led House decided to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress, marking a significant escalation in the GOP’s criticisms of a justice system they believe unfairly targets former President Donald Trump.
The vote, with a final tally of 216-207, saw only one Republican, Rep. David Joyce of Ohio, voting against the motion. The issue at hand revolved around Garland’s refusal to provide the audio recording of special counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Joe Biden concerning his handling of classified documents. Republicans had demanded the audio after Hur opted not to prosecute Biden, citing concerns that a sympathetic jury could sway the case due to Biden’s age and memory issues.
Democrats argued that the full transcript of the Biden interview has already been publicized, expressing fears that the audio could be manipulated by the Republicans. Despite the successful contempt vote, it is largely seen as a symbolic gesture as Biden’s administration has invoked executive privilege, diminishing the likelihood of Garland facing prosecution for defying the subpoenas.
House Judiciary and Oversight committees had previously recommended holding Garland in contempt for not complying with congressional subpoenas related to the audio recording. Both sides presented their arguments before the vote, with Republicans emphasizing Congress’s oversight role and Democrats accusing the GOP of targeting Garland due to their failed attempts to impeach Biden.
The vote garnered attention due to the GOP’s slim majority in the House, possibly causing a nail-biter scenario. Undoubtedly, the Republican leadership was confident in their stance as they pushed for contempt proceedings. While Garland is not the first attorney general to face contempt from the opposing party, this incident underscores the ongoing partisan divide over how justice is administered in the country.