FILE PHOTO: U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland testifies before the House Judiciary Committee during a hearing entitled “Oversight of the U.S. Department of Justice”, in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 4, 2024. REUTERS/Anna Rose Layden/File Photo
Republican lawmakers have long demanded a tape of President Biden's testimony to a special counsel last year, but the attorney general has refused to release it.
The attorney general of President Joe Biden's administration , Merrick Garland (file photo, top, by Reuters/Anna Rose Layden), faced a suggestion on Wednesday that he be impeached by Republicansof the House of Representatives, who accuse him of contempt of Congress because he refused to cooperate in their investigation of the Democratic head of state. to a special prosecutor. The minister refused to hand it over to them.
The deposition in question was made in October, as part of an investigation into the fact that Mr. Biden had retained in his possession about twenty classified documents after he had left the White House after serving as vice president (2009-2017).
In his conclusion on the case, the special prosecutor assigned to conduct the investigation recommended that it go into the record, but made controversial — and politically explosive — comments about the “bad memory” of the “elderly gentleman » president.
In the midst of an election year, the Democratic camp denounced the “inappropriate” comments by the prosecutor — he is a Republican — and attributed them to “political expediency.” His opponents, however, were quick to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the finding to argue that Mr. Biden is not “fit” to hold the top office.
Since then, two committees of the House of Representatives, the which is controlled by Republicans, demanded that they be given the tape of the testimony, not just the transcripts.
'Deeply disappointed'
Mr Garland defended himself of his refusal to turn over the recording citing separation of powers and the need for the Justice Department to “protect its investigations,” expressing “deep disappointment” that “this House of Representatives has turned serious congressional power into a political weapon,” with a press release released by his services.
The Republican proposal to impeach Merrick Garland for “attempting to obstruct a congressional investigation” has only symbolic value: competent to decide is the Ministry of Justice.
