The U.S. Department of Justice, led by Attorney General Merrick Garland, has chosen not to pursue charges against him following a vote in the House of Representatives where Republicans found him in contempt of Congress.
This decision on Friday was expected as the DOJ has historically refrained from prosecuting its own attorney general.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a motion of contempt with a vote of 216-207 on Wednesday, with one Republican crossing party lines to reject it. The vote was a response to the Justice Department’s refusal to hand over audiotapes of President Joe Biden’s interview with a special prosecutor regarding alleged mishandling of classified documents during his time as vice president in the Obama administration.
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Garland criticized the vote as an assault on the Justice Department driven by partisan motives.
“It is disappointing that the House of Representatives has weaponized its congressional authority for political gain,” Garland stated in a release. “This vote disregards constitutional separation of powers, the need for the Justice Department to safeguard its investigations, and the substantial information we have provided to the Committees. I will always defend this Department, its workers, and its critical mission to uphold our democracy.”
The inquiry into President Biden concluded earlier in the year without any charges, with special counsel Robert Hur issuing a controversial final report criticizing the 81-year-old president’s memory as “poor” and having significant limitations that would hinder a conviction.
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House Republicans argued for the release of the audio recordings despite having transcripts from the interview, citing the potential for additional valuable information. Democrats, on the other hand, dismissed the move as political showmanship.
Media organizations, including Scripps News parent company E.W. Scripps, have also filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking access to the recordings alongside House Republicans.
It seems unlikely that the tapes will be made public, as President Biden has invoked executive privilege over the recordings, shielding Garland from further investigation.
