Justice Dept. Fires Back at Republicans Who Want Tape from Biden Interview

WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department is putting up stiff resistance to congressional Republicans’ efforts to obtain a copy of a special counsel’s interview of President Joe Biden.

House Republicans are threatening to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress unless he gives them a tape recording of the interview in which the president discussed mishandling classified documents.

They sent Garland a subpoena that set a deadline of last week to comply.

The Justice Department responded with a sharply worded letter to leaders of congressional committees who made the threats. The letter said the department already has complied with the four parts of the congressional subpoena.

“The Committees’ reaction is difficult to explain in terms of any lack of information or frustration of any informational or investigative imperative, given the Department’s actual conduct,” the letter says. “We are therefore concerned that the Committees are disappointed not because you didn’t receive information, but because you did.”

The special counsel spent a year investigating allegations Biden improperly handled and retained classified documents. Some of them were found in his garage in Delaware.

The special counsel’s report indicated the absent-minded 81-year-old president did mishandle the documents but not through any intent that should lead to criminal charges. Part of his evidence was based on hours-long recorded interviews with Biden.

The Justice Department letter cautioned the Republicans, saying, “We urge the Committees to avoid conflict rather than seek it.”

The Republicans, such as Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, hinted they would not let the Justice Department letter be the end of the dispute.

The Biden administration’s Justice Department? “does not get to determine what Congress needs and does not need for its oversight of the executive branch,” Comer said.

The next step is likely to be either litigation or an executive order from the president to resolve lingering issues.

For more information, contact The Legal Forum (www.legal-forum.net) at email: tramstack@gmail.com or phone: 202-479-7240.