In a recent development on Capitol Hill, the House of Representatives encountered a significant decision regarding Attorney General Merrick Garland. The chamber ultimately voted against a resolution proposed by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), which sought to invoke “inherent contempt” against Garland for withholding audio tapes from President Biden’s interview with special counsel Hur. This resolution would have imposed a daily fine of $10,000 on Garland until he complied.
The vote, with a narrow margin of 204-210, underscored the division within the House. Interestingly, four Republicans crossed party lines to join Democrats in opposing the resolution. The outcome was further influenced by the absence of several Republican members during the vote.
Rep. Luna, despite leadership reservations within her own party, persisted in pushing the resolution forward. Earlier procedural attempts to sideline the resolution had been defeated, indicating a genuine attempt to push through the inherent contempt measure.
Originally, Luna’s resolution had called for Garland’s arrest by the House Sergeant at Arms, but it was modified to focus on financial penalties. This escalation came amid broader concerns among some Democrats about President Biden’s cognitive abilities, as highlighted in recent debates.
The House had previously held Garland in “regular” contempt for refusing to provide the interview tapes, prompting the Department of Justice’s assertion of executive privilege over the materials. Subsequently, the House Judiciary Committee initiated legal action to compel their release, arguing that the transcript provided by the DOJ necessitated verification through the audio recordings.
During the contentious debate on the House floor, Luna defended her stance by framing inherent contempt as a constitutional obligation to assert congressional authority in the face of executive branch defiance. This argument was met with sharp opposition from Democratic quarters, who dismissed the resolution as politically motivated and impractical.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) voiced concerns about the unconventional nature of invoking inherent contempt, advocating instead for legal avenues to enforce congressional subpoenas. Despite reservations, he indicated willingness to support the resolution if brought to a vote, highlighting the complex dynamics at play within the GOP leadership.
The debate also spilled into partisan accusations, with Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) labeling the resolution as “stupid,” sparking a heated exchange on the House floor. McGovern’s remarks were later withdrawn amidst procedural objections, underscoring the intensity of the partisan divide over the issue.
Former President Trump weighed in on social media, expressing support for Luna’s efforts and criticizing Garland’s refusal to release the tapes despite congressional subpoenas.
In summary, while the resolution to hold Attorney General Garland in inherent contempt failed to garner enough support in the House, the debate illuminated deep-seated partisan tensions over congressional oversight, executive privilege, and the interpretation of constitutional powers. The issue remains unresolved as legal battles over the tapes continue to unfold, shaping the ongoing dynamics between Congress and the executive branch.