Justice department declines to pursue Merrick Garland contempt charges
SUMMARY
On Friday, the US Department of Justice informed House Speaker Mike Johnson that it would not pursue criminal contempt of Congress charges against Attorney General Merrick Garland, despite a request from the Republican-controlled House. The House had voted 216-207 to hold Garland in contempt for refusing to provide audio of President Biden’s interview with the special counsel investigating his handling of classified documents. Garland defended the DOJ’s cooperation with the investigation, which did not result in charges against Biden but described him as having a 'poor memory'. Critics, like Rep. Jerry Nadler, claimed the resolution smeared Garland's reputation. However, many Republicans see the DOJ's refusal to pursue charges as another example of the department's partisan bias and protection of Biden.
