The House of Representatives has defeated a resolution to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in inherent contempt for refusing to turn over audio tapes of President Joe Biden’s interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur. The resolution, introduced by Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, aimed to fine Garland $10,000 per day until he complied with a congressional subpoena.
The House voted 204 to 210 against the resolution, with four Republicans joining every Democrat in opposing the measure. The vote came after two Democratic efforts to table the measure were unsuccessful.
The resolution was an attempt to hold Garland in “inherent contempt,” a rarely used form of contempt that involves fining an individual who fails to comply with a subpoena. The inherent contempt power has not been successfully executed in Congress since 1934.
Garland was held in contempt by the House in June after he refused to turn over the audio tapes, which are part of an investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents. The Justice Department has declined to prosecute Garland, citing Biden’s decision to invoke executive privilege over the tapes.
The defeat of the resolution marks a setback for Republicans, who have been pushing for Garland to turn over the audio tapes. The controversy has been ongoing for months, with both sides accusing each other of stonewalling and obstruction. 17GEN4.com
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