Attorney General Merrick Garland defied a final warning Thursday to comply with a subpoena for the audio of President Joe Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur.
If Garland did not comply with the subpoena, he would face contempt of Congress proceedings, House Oversight Committee chair James Comer (R-KY) and Judiciary Committee chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) wrote Garland on April 17.
House Oversight and Accountability Committee chairman James Comer, R-Ky., left, confers with House Judiciary Committee chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, as the Oversight panel holds an organizational meeting for the 118th Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Jordan is leading investigative efforts of the Biden administration (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite).
Biden’s Justice Department replied Thursday to Comer and Jordan by refusing to hand over the audio, citing a lack of “legitimate congressional need” for it.
“If the Committees’ goal is to receive information from the Department in furtherance of your investigations, that goal has been more than met,” Assistant Attorney General Carlos Uriarte replied Thursday. “Our cooperation has been extraordinary.”
“Despite our many requests,” he added, “the Committees have not articulated a legitimate congressional need to obtain audio recordings from Mr. Hur’s investigation, let alone one that outweighs the Department’s strong interest in protecting the confidentiality of law enforcement files.”
“Lacking a justification for complaint—never mind contempt—in the actual record, the Committees’ threats deepen our concern that you are seeking to create a false narrative of obstruction that weakens, rather than strengthens, the American people’s confidence in our government and the rule of law,” Uriarte continued.
“The Department will not shirk from our duty to protect the public’s interest in the integrity of law enforcement work. We hope you find this information helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact this office if we may provide additional assistance regarding this or any other matter,” he claimed.
When Breitbart News requested comment from the Oversight Committee about future steps regarding Garland and potential contempt proceedings, a spokesperson replied, “We will respond to the Department of Justice.”
During the president’s interview with Hur, Biden, 81, experienced mental lapses and “poor memory” at least seven times, according to a transcript obtained by Breitbart News.
Special Counsel Robert K. Hur watches a video of President Joe Biden during the House Judiciary Committee hearing about his report on Biden’s retention of classified materials as a private citizen, on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images).
Hur’s investigation that concluded in February found Biden “willfully” retained classified documents, but he declined to prosecute him, citing “insufficient evidence.” Hur characterized Biden as “an elderly man with a poor memory.”
About one-third of Democrats doubt Biden’s mental fitness, a Harvard/Harris survey recently found. Another poll revealed 82 percent of Americans harbor concerns about his physical and mental health.
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