The Justice Department has announced that it will not pursue criminal charges against U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland for contempt of Congress. This decision comes after the House voted to hold Garland in contempt for his refusal to provide audio of President Biden's interview with special counsel Robert Hur.
In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Assistant Attorney General Carlos Felipe Uriarte stated that the Department's review concluded that Garland's responses to the subpoenas did not constitute a crime. As a result, the Department will not present the contempt citation to a grand jury or take any further action against the Attorney General.
Uriarte highlighted that the DOJ had already shared Hur's report with lawmakers, provided transcripts of Biden's interview, and facilitated Hur's congressional testimony. Despite these efforts, the House proceeded with the contempt vote, which passed 216-207 along party lines.
House Republicans had pushed for the release of the audio, arguing that it could offer crucial insights into Biden's state of mind. Conversely, Democrats viewed the request as a politically motivated attack on the Justice Department.
Special counsel Hur's investigation found no grounds for criminal charges against Biden regarding classified documents. However, Hur noted that Biden portrayed himself as an elderly man with memory issues, making it challenging to secure a conviction.
Following the House vote, Garland expressed disappointment, criticizing the decision as a partisan misuse of congressional authority. He reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the Justice Department's integrity and defending democracy.
Garland's exoneration by the Justice Department marks the conclusion of a contentious chapter in the ongoing scrutiny of the Biden administration's actions and the delicate balance between congressional oversight and executive privilege.
