House Republicans failed Thursday, July 11, to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in inherent contempt of Congress for not turning over audio tapes of special counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Joe Biden. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., brought the resolution in June after representatives voted to hold Garland in criminal contempt of Congress for defying a congressional subpoena. However, the Department of Justice declined to prosecute.
Hur interviewed Biden about his handling of classified documents, and congressional Republicans want access to those recordings as part of an impeachment inquiry. In May, Biden asserted executive privilege over the tapes.
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The resolution would have fined Garland $10,000 a day until he handed over the audiotapes.
According to Luna’s resolution, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., would have been tasked with imposing the fine. However, it is unclear how he would have enforced it.
On X, Luna blamed the failure on Republican absences and vowed to bring up the resolution again.
“Attorney General Merrick Garland will pay and be held accountable for trying to undermine our institutions,” Luna wrote. “No one is above the law.”
Congress voted 210-204 on the resolution. Twelve Republicans were absent and another four voted against the measure.
House Democrats have argued that Hur’s congressional testimony, along with written transcripts of Hur’s interview with Biden, should be sufficient for their investigation.
