House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, has announced that House Republicans plan to file a lawsuit to force the Department of Justice (DOJ) to hand over audio tapes of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Biden. The lawsuit is set to be filed in the coming week to enforce the subpoena issued by House GOP investigators. Attorney General Merrick Garland had refused to comply with the subpoena, citing Biden’s claim of executive privilege.
Special Counsel Robert Hur declined to prosecute President Biden over his handling of classified documents and described him as a sympathetic elderly man with a poor memory. While the Department of Justice has released the full transcript of their interview, House Republicans are seeking the audio recording to provide additional context about Biden’s state of mind. Democrats have dismissed the request as a partisan attempt to politicize the DOJ, while Biden and his allies have vehemently defended his mental fitness.
Attorney General Merrick Garland’s refusal to comply with the subpoena led to House Republicans holding him in contempt earlier in the month. However, the DOJ ultimately declined to prosecute Garland for his refusal. In response, House Speaker Mike Johnson has threatened to file a lawsuit against the DOJ to enforce the subpoena for the audio tapes. Additionally, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna from Florida is preparing to force a vote on her own “inherent contempt” resolution against Garland, which would direct the sergeant at arms to detain him for a trial by the House itself.
The use of “inherent contempt” is a little-used congressional procedure that has not been utilized since the 1930s and has never been used against a Cabinet official. Johnson, when asked about Luna’s plan during a press conference, mentioned that discussions have taken place but nothing has been settled as of yet. This approach is being considered as a way to compel the DOJ to hand over the audio tapes of President Biden’s interview conducted by the Special Counsel.
House Republicans are determined to fight vigorously to obtain the audio tapes of President Biden’s interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur. Despite facing resistance from the Department of Justice and Attorney General Merrick Garland, Republicans are exploring various avenues such as lawsuits and the use of inherent contempt to ensure compliance with the subpoena. The escalating conflict underscores the partisan division in Washington over the handling of the investigation and the perceived politicization of the DOJ. The outcome of these efforts remains uncertain, but House Republicans are committed to pursuing all available options to obtain the information they seek.
