(NewsNation) — House Republicans voted on a resolution to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over the audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interviews with former special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden’s handling of classified material and declined to bring charges.
The contempt action represents House Republicans’ latest and strongest rebuke of the Justice Department and of Garland’s leadership, playing out against the backdrop of an extraordinary conflict over the rule of law that has animated the 2024 presidential campaign.
In a statement released by the Justice Department, Garland said the vote was “deeply disappointing.”
“This House of Representatives has turned a serious congressional authority into a partisan weapon. Today’s vote disregards the constitutional separation of powers, the Justice Department’s need to protect its investigations, and the substantial amount of information we have provided to the Committees. I will always stand up for this Department, its employees, and its vital mission to defend our democracy.”
Republicans have denounced the pending criminal cases into former President Donald Trump, their presumptive nominee for the White House, while making sweeping claims about what they view as corruption in Biden’s administration.
Two sources familiar with internal conversations told The Hill that at least five GOP members had expressed opposition to backing a contempt resolution against the attorney general. One source said that additional members expressed hesitation over taking the vote.
