Contempt Vote Against AG Garland at Risk of Removal

A House vote to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress may be removed from the voting schedule because the Republicans sponsoring the measure do not have enough votes, according to two GOP lawmakers and multiple sources.

The vote was expected to take place as early as Wednesday to hold Garland in contempt for his refusal to provide audiotapes of President Joe Biden’s interview with former special counsel Robert Hur earlier this year. However, GOP leadership might cancel the vote if there are not enough Republican votes, considering the party’s slim majority, reports Axios. The sources did not disclose the identities of the individuals.

A senior House Republican has expressed concerns about the consequences if the contempt vote does not go through or is rejected, as it could impact efforts to obtain the tapes through legal proceedings.

In May, the House Oversight and Accountability and the Judiciary committees approved resolutions finding Garland in contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas related to Hur’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents while in the Senate and as vice president.

The committees are requesting the audio recordings of the Hur interviews with the president and his ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer, as well as other documents.

Back in March, Hur released a report stating that Biden should not face criminal charges for his handling of sensitive information due to concerns about his cognitive ability.

Meanwhile, some moderate Republicans have raised concerns about holding the attorney general in contempt, fearing potential backlash in their politically divided home districts leading up to the November elections.