The House Judiciary Committee is preparing a resolution to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress due to the Justice Department’s refusal to release Joe Biden’s audio-recorded interview with special counsel Robert Hur, according to a source familiar with the committee’s agenda.
Last year, Hur interviewed Biden over allegations of mishandling classified documents. Despite Hur’s ultimate decision not to press charges, his final report portrayed Biden as an “elderly man with poor memory” — a characterization that provoked upset among Biden’s supporters and allies.
For months, House Republicans have demanded the audio of the discussion, arguing that the testimonial itself could unveil more about Hur’s conclusions regarding Biden’s mental faculties. However, DOJ officials counter that the Republicans have yet to justify their request for the audio, noting that a complete interview transcript has already been shared.
During a March public hearing, Hur expressed neutrality on the subject of the audio’s release, stating that the recordings played a part in his resolution but that the decision to disclose them was not his to make.
In February, it was revealed that Biden’s lawyers attempted to pressure the DOJ to cover up the Hur report. The transcript revealed that Biden “couldn’t recall” information 150 times throughout the five-hour interview and “forgot” details once every two minutes.
