LIVE: House GOP Set to Vote on Merrick Garland in Contempt Over Biden Audio Recordings | USA News Live | Hunter Biden | USA News Live | CNBC TV18
House Republicans are scheduled Wednesday to vote on holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over the audio recordings 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 vote would be a major 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.
Holding the nation’s top law enforcement officer in contempt would build on Republican allegations that the Justice Department has been weaponized against conservatives, claims that have been particularly ratcheted up in the wake of former President Donald Trump’s conviction in New York for falsifying business records.
Through their subpoena fight with the Justice Department, House Republicans have argued that the audio recordings are crucial to their impeachment inquiry into Biden, which remains stalled as the prospects of the investigation ending in impeachment are increasingly unlikely.
The House Rules Committee is set to vote Tuesday at noon on the markup on whether or not Attorney General Merrick Garland will be held in contempt of Congress.
Garland is being considered to be held in contempt due to withholding audio recordings of special counsel Robert Hur's interview with President Joe Biden over classified documents. A transcript of the interview has been released. In the document, Hur described Biden as a "well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory."
Two House committees, the Oversight and Judiciary committees, previously voted along party lines to advance a report recommending that he be held in contempt.
If passed in the House Rules Committee, the committee will throw the matter to the entire House for a vote on whether Garland will be held in contempt. It is unclear if the House in its entirety would have enough votes, given its very thin, Republican majority.
Several congressional Republicans took to social media platform X, some calling Hunter Biden's guilty verdict a distraction from what they allege are more serious crimes.
"Hunter Biden’s firearm conviction is simply a smokescreen," Rep. Jim Banks, a Republican from Indiana, wrote. "What I'm concerned about is how Joe, Hunter, and James Biden have been enriching themselves by trading away America's interests to our enemies."
"Hunter might deserve to be in jail for something, but purchasing a gun is not it," Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, wrote.
Speaking to reporters after Hunter Biden's guilty verdict, Special Counsel David Weiss said everyone should be held accountable, and that it was Hunter Biden's choices along with the combination of guns and drugs that made his conduct dangerous."No one in this country is above the law," he said.
Hunter Biden released a statement following the guilty verdict saying he's feeling grateful for the support of his family.
“I am more grateful today for the love and support I experienced this last week from Melissa, my family, my friends, and my community than I am disappointed by the outcome," he said.
Hunter Biden's attorney Abbe Lowell, said the team is "disappointed" by the verdict.
"We respect the jury process, and as we have done throughout this case, we will continue to vigorously pursue all the legal challenges available to Hunter," he said.
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