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By Maureen Chowdhury, Elise Hammond and Tori B. Powell, CNN
Updated 7:15 PM EDT, Wed June 12, 2024
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Garland slams conspiracy theories targeting DOJ and FBI operation
01:37 - Source: CNN
What we covered here
- The House GOP voted Wednesday to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interviews with former specialcounsel Robert Hur as part of the probe over his handling of classified documents.
- In a statement, Garland said it was “deeply disappointing that this House of Representatives has turned a serious congressional authority into a partisan weapon.”
- The vote marks a major escalation in a months-long dispute over the recordings between House Republicans and the executive branch that came after Bidenassertedexecutive privilege over the files.
- The House GOP argued that the recordings are crucial to their impeachment inquiry into Biden, which remainsstalled. The DOJ hasstood byits decision not to release the audio files of the interviews, pointing to the transcripts they have already provided and claiming Republicans have not established a legitimate legislative purpose for demanding the audio.
Our live coverage has concluded. Please scroll through the posts below to learn about Wednesday’s House vote holding the attorney general in contempt.
15 Posts
House votes to hold US attorney general in contempt of Congress. Here's a recap of what happened
From CNN staffThe House of Representatives voted Wednesday to hold US Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over subpoenaed audio recordings.
The recordings are of President Joe Biden’s interviews with former specialcounsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden’s handling of classified material anddeclinedto bring charges.
The White House previously pointed out that the Department of Justice has already provided transcripts and has complied with the other aspects of the initial subpoena from Republicans.
The vote was 216 to 207 with oneRepublican voting against it – Rep. Dave Joyce of Ohio.
Here’s a recap:
- Tension between White House and Capitol Hill: The vote marks an escalation in a monthslong dispute over the recordings between House Republicans and the executive branch that came after Bidenassertedexecutive privilege over the files. The DOJ hasstood byits decision not to release them, claiming that Republicans have not established a legitimate legislative purpose. It also argued that audio recordings come with specific privacy concerns that could dissuade cooperation from future witnesses in criminal investigations.
- What Garland said: In a statement, Garland said it was “deeply disappointing that this House of Representatives has turned a serious congressional authority into a partisan weapon.” He said the vote “disregards the constitutional separation of powers” and argued that the Justice Department needs to protect its investigations.
- What lawmakers said: Republicans say that access to the tapes would provide valuable information beyond what a written transcript can offer and is about transparency and oversight. One Democratic lawmaker argued Republicans did not have a “legitimate purpose” for the recordings and said they wanted the files solely for political purposes. After the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Republicans did their job defending the Constitution.
- What will happen next: Johnson will certify the report to the United States attorney for the District of Columbia. Under the law, this certification requires the US attorney to “bring the matter before the grand jury for its action,” but the Justice Department will also make its own determinations on prosecution.
Speaker Johnson says House did its job by holding Garland in contempt
From CNN's Kit Maher
MikeJohnsonspeaks at a House Republicans press conference on Capitol Hill, on June 12, in Washington, DC.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Republicans did their job defending Article I of the Constitution by voting to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress and that he was “pleased with the outcome” of Wednesday’s vote.
Asked if Garland should be prosecuted, Johnson told CNN, “Look, we did our job on the contempt, and I think it sends an important message. We’re defending Article I and our authority for oversight, and we have to do that.”
“We’ll see what happens next,” he said after exiting the House floor.
Republican lawmaker says fight around audio recording is about transparency and oversight
From CNN's Elise Hammond
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill, on June 11, in Washington, DC.
Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, who voted to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress on Wednesday, said the issue of obtaining audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interviews with a special counsel is all about transparency.
“We want to make sure it matches what the transcript says,” she told CNN, adding that it is an oversight issue.
Pushed on whether Republicans want the audio so they can put it in political attack ads heading into the 2024 presidential election, Malliotakis said Democrats “could fear whatever they like,” but that doesn’t mean “they shouldn’t be complying with the subpoena from the House of Representatives.”
Generally, the larger issue is that if there is a subpoena, the information should be provided, she said, calling it “cut and dry.”
“We’re seeingthat happen time and againwhere people feel that they canjust violate federal law andwhat we believe is properoversight,” the New York lawmaker added.
Garland defends himself after House votes to hold him in contempt
From CNN’s Hannah RabinowitzAttorney General Merrick Garland said it is “deeply disappointing that this House of Representatives has turned a serious congressional authority into a partisan weapon” after the chamber voted to hold him in contempt of Congressfor refusing to turn over the audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interviews with former specialcounsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden’s handling of classified material and declinedto bring charges.
Democratic lawmaker says Republicans do not have a legitimate legislative purpose for recordings
From CNN's Elise Hammond
Rep. Dan Goldman returns to a hearing on Capitol Hill on January 30, in Washington, DC.
One Democratic lawmaker said Republicans do not have a “legitimate purpose” to have the audio recordings they requested from the Department of Justice of President Joe Biden’s interviews with former specialcounsel Robert Hur.
The House voted to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn those recordings over.
The New York lawmaker claimed that the Department of Justice being forced to turn over the recording would have a “chilling impact on any future cooperation of witnesses who would know they would be recorded” and argued that the transcript is enough to fulfill the purpose of congressional oversight.
The vote came after President Joe Bidenassertedexecutive privilege over the files. Hur investigated Biden’s handling of classified material anddeclinedto bring charges.
“They’re not prosecuting. They’re nottrying to determine whether toprosecute him,” Goldman said, referring to Biden. “And there is nolegislation they can identify.There’s no oversight they can identify that points to why they need the audio recording.”
Johnson uncertain if the House will impeach Biden: "There’s a lot of conduct that begs answers"
From CNN’s Kit Maher
House Speaker Mike Johnson attends a news conference following a House Republican conference meeting at the US Capitol on June 12 in Washington, DC.
House Speaker Mike Johnson was uncertain if Republicans would ultimately impeach President Joe Biden, but said the process would continue to play out “methodically,” while brushing off criticism from Democrats.
Asked if he thinks they will impeach him, he said “I don’t know.”
“There’s a lot of conduct that begs answers,” Johnson said, accusing the Biden family of receiving “millions of dollars, in some cases, from foreign nations and adversaries.”
“There’s not been a final accountability for that,” he said.
“We’ll see what comes out in the end,” he added. “In spite of criticism, we have to follow the Constitution.”
Johnson scoffed at Democrat criticism of Republicans for spending millions to go after Biden.
“If they consider the fulfillment of our constitutional responsibility to be a waste of funding, then I think it says more about their priorities than ours,” Johnson told reporters.
“Return on that investment is ensuring accountability to the people,” Johnson said. “There’s been a lot exposed and there’s a lot more yet to be exposed.”
JUST IN: House GOP votes to hold Attorney General Garland in contempt
House Republicans voted Wednesday 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 specialcounsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden’s handling of classified material anddeclinedto bring charges.
The vote was 216 to 207 with oneRepublican voting against it – Rep. Dave Joyce of Ohio.
House Speaker Mike Johnson will now certify the report to the United States attorney for the District of Columbia.
Under law, this certification then requires the US attorney to “bring the matter before the grand jury for its action,” but the Justice Department will also make its own determinations for prosecuting.
This post was updated with more details on the vote.
NOW: House Republicans are voting on a resolution to hold Garland in contempt of Congress
From CNN staffHouse Republicans have begun voting on a resolution to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interviews with former special counsel Robert Hur as part of the probe into his handling of classified documents.
The vote marks a major escalation in a months-long dispute over the recordings between House Republicans and the executive branch that came after Bidenassertedexecutive privilege over the files.
Holding the nation’s top law enforcement officer in contempt would build on the Republican allegation that the Justice Department has been weaponized against conservatives — a claim that has been particularly ratcheted up in the wake of former President Donald Trump’s conviction in New York for falsifying business records.
"I believe we do" have votes to hold Garland in contempt, House speaker says
From CNN’s Kit MaherHouse Speaker Mike Johnson expressed confidence that his chamber has the votes to hold Attorney 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.
Here's what Garland told lawmakers last week when he testified before the House Judiciary committee
From CNN's Devan Cole,Hannah RabinowitzandAnnie Grayer
Attorney General Merrick Garland testifies on Tuesday, June 4.
Attorney General Merrick Garland appeared defiant on June 4 as he spent hours fielding questions from lawmakers on a range of topics, occasionally sparring with Republican House members seeking to use his testimony to attack the Justice Department.
Over the course of a roughly five-hour-long hearing before the House Judiciary Committee, Garland defended the department’s work and role in several high-profile criminal cases, including those brought against former President Donald Trump and Hunter Biden.
Garland’s testimony came as Republican lawmakers have argued that the Justice Department is being weaponized againstconservativesandjust a few weeks after the GOP-led House Judiciary Committee and Oversight Committee voted toadvance contempt proceedingsagainstthe attorney generalfor his refusal to turn over audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interview withspecial counsel Robert Hur.
Here's what would happen next if the contempt resolution passes in the House
From CNN's Annie GrayerIf the contempt resolution against Attorney General Merrick Garland succeeds, House Speaker Mike Johnson would certify the report to the United States attorney for the District of Columbia.
Democrats have used the process several times as they ran into uncooperative allies and former aides to Trump during their investigation into the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
The Department of Justice ultimately did not pursue charges against Trump aide Dan Scavino and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. But federal prosecutors did take two Trump allies, Stephen Bannon and former White House tradeadviser Peter Navarro to trial on the criminal contempt charges.
Garland contempt vote is an effort to appease Trump, House Democrat says
From CNN’s Kit Maher
House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar speaks at a news conference at the US Capitol Building following a weekly caucus meeting on May 22, in Washington, DC.
The Republican effort to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland incontempt of Congressis a way of appeasing former president Donald Trump and distracting from his own conviction and indictments, Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar said Wednesday.
The House is expected to vote this afternoon on whether to hold Garland in contempt for refusing to turn over the audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interviews with former special counsel Robert Hur.
Garland has provided transcripts of the recordings, and Aguilar said that should be enough, based on precedent.
The back-and-forth over the audio recordings
From CNN's Annie Grayer
Former Special Counsel Robert Hur testifies before the House Judiciary Committee on March 12, in Washington, DC.
The monthslong clash between the House GOP and Justice Department began when the trio of Republican-led committees leading the impeachment inquiry into PresidentJoe Bidensubpoenaedthe department in February for transcripts, documents and audio recordings related to former special counsel Robert Hur’s investigation.
The department has made the majority of the subpoenaed materials available to House Republicans, including transcripts of the special counsel’s interviews with Biden and his ghostwriter, and allowing Hur to testify on Capitol Hill inMarch.
But, the DOJ hasstood byits decision not to release the audio files of the interviews, claiming that Republicans have not established a legitimate legislative purpose for demanding them. The Justice Department has also argued that the specific privacy concerns related toan audio recording of an interviewaredistinct from those of a written transcript, and that the release of such an audio file could dissuade cooperation from future witnesses in criminal investigations.
Republicans maintain that access to the tapes provide valuable information beyond what a written transcript can provide. In their contempt report they argued “the verbal nuances in President Biden’s answers about his mishandling of classified information would assist the Committees’ inquiry into whether he abused his office of public trust for his family’s financial gain.”
Republicans have also said the DOJ must comply with the full extent of their subpoena instead of seeking to dictate what materials fulfilled their needs.
Without supplying evidence to support his claims, Comer also claimed that part of the reason Republicans need the audio files is to determine whether the transcripts have been altered, and that it is “insufficient to simply take the Justice Department at its word.”
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has grilled Republicans about their motives for seeking the audio files.
Keep reading here about how we got to today’s contempt vote.
House GOP on track to vote on Garland contempt resolution this afternoon
From CNN's Annie GrayerHouse Republicans are scheduled Wednesday to vote on holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over the audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interviews with former specialcounsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden’s handling of classified material anddeclinedto bring charges.
The vote marks a major escalation in a monthslong dispute over the recordings between House Republicans and the executive branch that came after Bidenassertedexecutive privilege over the files.
Holding the nation’s top law enforcement officer in contempt would build on Republican allegations that the Justice Department has been weaponized against conservatives, claims that have been particularly ratcheted up in the wake of former President Donald Trump’s conviction in New York for falsifying business records.
Through their subpoena fight with the Justice Department,HouseRepublicans have argued that the audio recordings are crucial to their impeachment inquiry into Biden, which remainsstalledas the prospects of the investigation ending in impeachment are increasingly unlikely.
House GOP leadershipsaid Tuesday evening that they were confident they have the votes in their narrow majority to hold Garland in contempt, but they have been working behind the scenes to lock down their members ahead of Wednesday’s floor vote.
A handful of House Republicans have privately voiced concerns about supporting the contempt resolution, raising questions whether the conference with its narrow majority will have the votes to pass it, a source familiar told CNN. Still, House Republicans announced Tuesday evening that the vote would go forward Wednesday.
By a slim 208 to 207 margin, the House took a key procedural step Wednesday morning to pass the rule that will bring the contempt resolution to the floor for debate and a final passage vote later in the day.
"Baseless" attacks on Justice Department are "dangerous for our democracy," Garland says
From CNN's Colin McCulloughandMichelle Shen
Attorney General Merrick Garland testifies during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the Department of Justice, in Washington on June 4.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said in aWashington Post op-edpublished on Tuesday that rising “baseless, personal and dangerous” attacks on the Justice Department have become “dangerous for our democracy.”
Continued unfounded attacks on the agency’s employees, he added, “are dangerous for people’s safety. They are dangerous for our democracy. This must stop.”
Garland’s latest comments echo his forceful defense of the Justice Department before the House Judiciary Committee last week. While he didn’t mention political parties in his op-ed Tuesday, Garland denounced a number of ”conspiracy theories” floated by Republicans about the Justice Department being weaponizedagainst former President Donald Trump.
Garland said in his testimony last week that while the department will not provide the audio recordings sought by the GOP lawmakers, it has “gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure that the committee gets responses to its legitimate requests for information,” including providing transcripts of the interview with Biden.
CNN has sued for access torecordings of federal investigators’ interview with Biden in the now-closed probe over his handling of classified documents.
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