House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer made a significant announcement on Monday, revealing that a markup session has been scheduled for Thursday to consider holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress. This decision comes in light of Garland's failure to comply with a subpoena issued by the committee.
According to Comer's office, the House Oversight Committee and the House Judiciary Committee had previously issued subpoenas to Attorney General Garland on February 27th. These subpoenas specifically requested records related to Special Counsel Robert Hur's investigation into President Joe Biden's alleged willful mishandling of classified information. The requested records included transcripts, notes, video, and audio files that are considered crucial to the ongoing investigation.
Despite the subpoenas being issued several months ago, Attorney General Garland has yet to provide the audio files of President Biden's interview with the Special Counsel, as stated by Comer's office. This lack of compliance has raised concerns among the committee members and has prompted the decision to consider holding Garland in contempt of Congress.
In a statement released by Comer, he emphasized the importance of the audio recordings in the investigation of President Biden's actions regarding classified documents. Comer stated, "These audio recordings are important to our investigation of President Biden's willful retention of classified documents and his fitness to be President of the United States. There must be consequences for refusing to comply with lawful congressional subpoenas and we will move to hold Attorney General Garland in contempt of Congress."
The decision to hold a markup session on the contempt resolution signifies the seriousness of the matter and the determination of the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees to obtain the requested materials. The committees believe that the audio recordings of President Biden's interview with Special Counsel Hur are essential in determining the extent of the President's involvement in the mishandling of classified information and assessing his overall fitness for office.
The contempt of Congress charge is a serious allegation that carries significant consequences. If the markup session results in the approval of the contempt resolution, it would send a strong message to Attorney General Garland and the Department of Justice about the importance of complying with congressional subpoenas and cooperating with ongoing investigations.
The scheduled markup session on Thursday will be closely watched by political observers and the media, as it has the potential to escalate tensions between the legislative and executive branches of the government. The outcome of the session will likely have implications for the ongoing investigation into President Biden's handling of classified documents and could further strain the relationship between Congress and the Department of Justice.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Attorney General Garland will provide the requested audio files before the markup session takes place, or if he will face the consequences of being held in contempt of Congress. Regardless of the outcome, this development highlights the ongoing power struggle between the legislative and executive branches and the importance of transparency and accountability in government investigations.
Yes
Yes they will. Only when it matters no longer.