In a significant move, the US House of Representatives has taken action against Attorney General Merrick Garland, censuring him for non-compliance with a congressional order.
What Happened: The Republican-led House voted 216-207 to hold Garland in contempt. This action follows his defiance of a congressional order demanding the release of audio recordings from interviews conducted by special counsel Robert Hur with President Joe Biden, reported The Financial Times.
The vote is a significant escalation in the conflict between the Department of Justice and Republican lawmakers. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) emphasized the necessity of the audio for congressional investigations, stating, “We have the transcript, and we need the audio.”
Garland, who appointed Hur to investigate Biden’s handling of classified documents, has faced criticism after Hur’s report described Biden as having limited memory. Although Biden was not charged, the refusal to release the audio recordings has intensified the political debate.
The censure came shortly after a conviction was secured against Biden’s son, Hunter, on federal firearm charges, further fueling Republican claims of a partisan DoJ. Carlos Uriarte of the DoJ’s legislative affairs unit defended the confidentiality of law enforcement files in a letter to House Republicans, according to the report.
Uriate said that the department had “a responsibility to safeguard the confidentiality of law enforcement files where disclosure would jeopardise future investigations".
In response to the censure, Garland expressed disappointment, highlighting the potential damage to the constitutional separation of powers and the integrity of DoJ investigations. The censure could lead to prosecution, but only if the DoJ initiates legal proceedings against Garland.
This development caps a tumultuous period marked by the DoJ’s appointment of special counsels to address accusations of bias and the ongoing scrutiny of the business dealings of Biden and his son Hunter.
Why It Matters: The censure of Attorney General Garland is the culmination of a series of events that began with the discovery of mishandled classified documents linked to President Biden. In January 2023, Garland appointed Hur as a special counsel to investigate the matter after classified records were found at Biden's former office and home.
After a yearlong investigation, Hur concluded his probe without charging Biden, despite findings of willful retention of classified documents. The report was reviewed by the White House counsel's office for potential executive privilege issues before being forwarded to Congress.
Amidst the investigation, a transcript of Biden’s interview with Hur revealed a more relaxed president, making jokes during the proceedings. However, the levity did not quell Republican concerns, as they continued to view Biden as an ‘entitled career politician.’
Photo Courtesy: Bumble Dee On Shutterstock.com
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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