Rep. Joyce Defies Party, Votes Against Garland Contempt Charge

Ohio Rep. Dave Joyce was the only House Republican to vote against holding United States Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress on Wednesday.

“As a former prosecutor, I cannot in good conscience support a resolution that would further politicize our judicial system to score political points. The American people expect Congress to work for them, solve policy problems, and prioritize good governance,” Joyce stated, according to The Hill. “Enough is enough.”

Despite Joyce’s opposition, the House approved the measure with a vote of 216 to 207. The measure was prompted by Garland’s refusal to provide audio of President Joe Biden’s conversation with special counsel Robert Hur.

Republicans are seeking the audio recordings of Biden to verify their consistency with the transcript referenced in Hur’s report on the president’s handling of classified documents.

However, it is uncertain if the contempt vote will have any repercussions since Garland oversees the Justice Department, which would be responsible for prosecuting him.