The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to hold US Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over subpoenaed audio recordings.
The recordings are of President Joe Biden’s interviews with former special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden’s handling of classified material and declined to bring charges.
The White House previously pointed out that the Department of Justice has already provided transcripts and has complied with the other aspects of the initial subpoena from Republicans.
The vote was 216 to 207 with one Republican voting against it – Rep. Dave Joyce of Ohio.
Here’s a recap:
- Tension between White House and Capitol Hill: The vote marks an escalation in a monthslong dispute over the recordings between House Republicans and the executive branch that came after Biden asserted executive privilege over the files. The DOJ has stood by its decision not to release them, claiming that Republicans have not established a legitimate legislative purpose. It also argued that audio recordings come with specific privacy concerns that could dissuade cooperation from future witnesses in criminal investigations.
- What Garland said: In a statement, Garland said it was “deeply disappointing that this House of Representatives has turned a serious congressional authority into a partisan weapon.” He said the vote “disregards the constitutional separation of powers” and argued that the Justice Department needs to protect its investigations.
- What lawmakers said: Republicans say that access to the tapes would provide valuable information beyond what a written transcript can offer and is about transparency and oversight. One Democratic lawmaker argued Republicans did not have a “legitimate purpose” for the recordings and said they wanted the files solely for political purposes. After the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Republicans did their job defending the Constitution.
- What will happen next: Johnson will certify the report to the United States attorney for the District of Columbia. Under the law, this certification requires the US attorney to “bring the matter before the grand jury for its action,” but the Justice Department will also make its own determinations on prosecution.
