House Republicans have filed a lawsuit against Attorney General Merrick Garland, seeking to compel the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release the audiotapes of special counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Joe Biden as part of a classified documents probe. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, also requests the court to require the DOJ to provide the audio of Mr. Hur’s interview with President Biden’s ghostwriter, Mark Zwonitzer.
This legal action follows a vote by House Republicans to hold Mr. Garland in contempt for not complying with a subpoena for the tapes of Mr. Hur’s interview with the president, citing executive privilege. The Justice Department declined to prosecute the attorney general, stating their longstanding position not to pursue criminal action against those who refuse to comply with subpoenas involving claimed executive privilege.
The House Republicans are seeking material related to Mr. Hur’s investigation into the president’s handling of classified material after he decided not to recommend charges against President Biden. Mr. Hur’s report concluded that President Biden would be seen by a jury as a well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.
The Justice Department has provided transcripts and notes from the interview, arguing that the tapes are unnecessary and could discourage future presidents from cooperating with similar investigations. House Republicans argue that they need the tapes to verify the transcript’s accuracy and confirm the validity of Mr. Hur’s findings.
In a 56-page suit, the GOP-led House Judiciary Committee argues that the Biden administration’s executive privilege claim is frivolous, asserting that the president waived privilege by releasing a transcript of the interview to Congress.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has indicated her intention to force a vote on an inherent contempt resolution to address Mr. Garland’s non-compliance with the subpoena. The resolution would direct the House sergeant at arms to arrest Mr. Garland. The Epoch Times has reached out to Ms. Luna’s office for more information on the resolution.
According to Mr. Hur’s report, classified materials from 2009 regarding the war in Afghanistan were discovered at a Virginia home rented by President Biden, where he met with Mr. Zwonitzer to collaborate on two books. The classified documents were later relocated to Delaware. The Epoch Times has reached out to Mr. Zwonitzer’s attorney for comment on the matter. Please rewrite this sentence.
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