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Republican lawmakers sharply criticized Attorney General Merrick Garland for refusing to release a recording of President Biden’s Tuesday interview with special counsel Robert Hur.
this House Judiciary Committee Garland was summoned by Republicans on Tuesday to a hearing to discuss the tapes and former President Trump’s felony conviction last week. Garland has repeatedly rejected Republican requests for the tapes, saying they have already been released and therefore have no legal basis.
Garland argued that the Justice Department had “gone beyond precedent” by releasing the record.
“We have made clear that we will not be providing the recordings — the transcripts from which the transcripts you already have were produced. Release of these recordings will discourage cooperation by the Department of Justice in future investigations. It could influence witnesses’ responses if they believe that recordings of their interviews with law enforcement could be broadcast to Congress and the public,” Garland said in his opening statement.
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Attorney General Merrick Garland testifies during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill. (Getty Images)
Garland went on to say there was “no legitimate purpose” for lawmakers to seek the recordings, and he viewed the attempt as part of “a series of attacks on the work of the Justice Department.”
Republican Rep. Dan Bishop argued the recording was crucial to understanding Biden’s “demeanor” during the five-hour interview with Hull.
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“What the committee needs to do is look at the recording of the president’s testimony and see if it matches the transcript and reveals anything about his competence, his honesty or anything else that he exhibited during the interview,” Bishop told Garland.
Rep. Dan Bishop, R-Calif., argued the recording was crucial to understanding Biden’s “demeanor” during the five-hour interview with Hull. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
“None of the things you just mentioned are legislative purposes,” Garland responded. “You have not proposed any law that you intend to pass or are considering where the audio would have an impact on the transcript.”
Republicans on the committee threatened to indict Garland for contempt of Congress if he continued to refuse to turn over the recordings.
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Attorney General Merrick Garland and others took the Pledge of Allegiance in front of the flag before Attorney General Merrick Garland testified before the House Judiciary Committee. (Getty Images)
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Other Republican lawmakers questioned Garland about Trump’s conviction in New York. Garland repeatedly said the Justice Department had no control over the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, which brought the charges against Trump.
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