House GOP skeptical DOJ will charge Garland for actions taken against former Trump aides
House Republicans are expressing doubts about whether the Department of Justice (DOJ) will take action on their recent criminal referral against Attorney General Merrick Garland. Several GOP lawmakers believe that it would be hypocritical for the DOJ not to act, especially in light of the recent prosecutions and guilty verdicts for former Trump administration officials Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon following similar referrals.
Representative Byron Donalds from Florida voiced his skepticism, stating, “Garland’s gonna take up his own contempt resolution? Not likely.” He emphasized the perceived hypocrisy, pointing out that Garland had proceeded with legal action against Bannon, even after President Trump cited executive privilege.
The House GOP lawmakers are looking to hold Garland in contempt due to his refusal to provide audio recordings of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Biden. The sought-after audio tapes are related to Hur’s findings, which cleared Biden of any wrongdoing in handling classified documents. However, the report also mentioned concerns about Biden’s memory and mental state, portraying him as an elderly man with potential memory issues.
Republicans believe that obtaining the audio recordings is crucial to understanding the context of Biden’s responses during the interview. On the other hand, Democrats have dismissed the request as a partisan effort to politicize the DOJ.
While the DOJ acted on two out of three criminal referrals from the previous Congress, it did not address a criminal contempt resolution aimed at former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. Meadows, Bannon, and Navarro were all under scrutiny for defying subpoenas from a House committee investigating the events of January 6.
Representative Rich McCormick from Georgia expressed his lack of optimism about the Garland resolution, citing concerns about the DOJ’s perceived partisanship. He underscored the importance of holding Garland accountable if he is found in contempt, emphasizing the need for consistency in upholding the law.
In response to the pushback from Republicans, Garland indirectly addressed the criticism in a Washington Post op-ed, denouncing the attacks as baseless, personal, and dangerous. He highlighted the threats to defund specific investigations within the DOJ, including the prosecution led by the special counsel.
Overall, the division and tensions surrounding the criminal referral against Attorney General Merrick Garland underscore the political complexities within the Department of Justice and its interactions with Congress.
