House Republicans held Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in contempt of Congress Wednesday over a subpoena dispute centered on the Justice Department’s refusal to hand over audio recordings from a special counsel investigation of President Joe Biden.
The 216-207 floor vote is unlikely to lead to any official consequences for Garland. House Republicans argue the audio is needed for congressional oversight, but Democrats contend more partisan motivations are at play. The vote was along party lines, except Rep. David Joyce, R-Ohio, voted against the measure.
Garland now becomes the third sitting attorney general to be held in contempt of Congress, after Eric Holder during the Obama administration and William Barr during the Trump administration. The Justice Department did not pursue a criminal charge against either.
