Failure to fine Garland $10,000 per day over Biden-Hur audio tapes, vote does not pass – One America News Network
OAN Staff James Meyers
9:52 AM – Thursday, July 11, 2024
The House rejected a resolution on Thursday to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in “inherent contempt” of Congress and fine him $10,000 per day due to not turning over audio tapes from President Joe Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur.
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The effort was led by Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who forced a vote on it by making it “privileged.” However it failed on the floor in a 210 to 204 vote, with 12 Republicans missing votes, as did seven Democrats.
Four House Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the resolution: Representatives John Duarte (Calif.), David Joyce (Ohio), Tom McClintock (Calif.), Mike Turner (Ohio).
Additionally, before the failed vote, House Republicans also failed to pass their own spending bill to fund the legislative branch of government in 2025.
Two test votes the day before indicated that the resolution actually had some life. The measure overcame two attempts to effectively have it killed off.
Luna also had lessened down the measure from her original inherent contempt resolution, which would have forced the House Sergeant at Arms to arrest and detain Garland over his refusal to turn over the audio tapes.
Meanwhile, the move piles on to Democrat controversy about Biden’s age and after his abysmal debate performance.
In a report detailing why the special counsel would not seek to charge Biden over his handling of classified documents, they claimed any jury would likely see Biden as an “elderly man with a poor memory.”
During her argument for the bill, Luna claimed that using “inherent contempt” is a way for Congress to exert its power and will when the executive branch will not carry it out.
“Despite what my colleagues may think, this is not a stupid idea, but actually our constitutional duty, and it is well within the scope of our legislative authority to assert the House’s power in this manner,” Luna said on the House floor.
Her comments came after House Rules Committee member Jim McGovern (R-Mass.) said it was a stupid idea.
“This is a stupid resolution,” McGovern said on the House floor. “Republican leadership knows this is a stupid resolution. Their own members know this is a stupid resolution. But they’re beholden to the craziest MAGA members in their conference.”
“Let’s be real. Republicans want to get these recordings because they think the [Republican National Committee] can use them in attack ads,” McGovern said, also dinging Republican members who ignored subpoenas from the Jan. 6 select committee in the last Congress.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) had explained his hesitation in a press conference on Tuesday.
“As a constitutional litigator, former constitutional litigator, my preference is to follow the legal process and legal proceedings that protect the institution,” Johnson said in a press conference on Tuesday. “I frankly have a little pause about presenting an article one authority question to the Article three branch – to the federal judiciary desk, the judicial branch – whether they believe we have the right to enforce a subpoena in this unconventional way.”
Despite those concerns, Johnson said, “if it’s brought to the floor, I’ll vote for it.”
Former President Donald Trump supported Luna’s efforts in a Truth Social post on Wednesday.
“I AGREE with Anna Paulina Luna and the many House Members who think Merrick Garland should be held in INHERENT CONTEMPT for refusing to release the Biden Tapes even though they were subpoenaed!,” he wrote.
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