US House Rejects GOP Resolution to Fine Garland

Facts

• The US House voted on Thursday against a GOP resolution to impose daily $10K fines on Attorney General Merrick Garland until he complies with a congressional subpoena for audio tapes of Pres. Joe Biden's interview with former special counsel Robert Hur.¹
• In a 210 to 204 vote, four Republicans — House Intel Committee Chair Mike Turner and Rep. Dave Joyve, from Ohio, and Reps. John Duarte and Tom McClintock, from California — opposed the resolution, while 12 Republicans were absent.²
• The measure from Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, which would hold Garland in 'inherent contempt' of Congress, was the latest in a months-long effort from House Republicans to get the audio recording.³
• Luna said she plans to reintroduce the Trump-backed resolution when GOP attendance improves. Republicans expect tapes to showcase Biden's alleged mental decline, as Hur described him as an old man 'with a poor memory.'⁴
• Last month, the Justice Department declined to prosecute Garland after the House voted 216 to 207 to hold him in contempt of Congress over the audiotapes. In March, the Justice Department released redacted written transcripts of the interview.⁵
• The little-known inherent contempt procedure — never used on a Cabinet official — was last invoked in the 1930s. Initially, the resolution would have directed the House sergeant-at-arms to arrest Garland so the chamber could hold its own trial.⁶

Sources: ¹CNN, ²New York Post, ³Roll Call, ⁴The Washington Times, ⁵NBC and ⁶FOX News.

Narratives

• Republican narrative, as provided by The Gateway Pundit. It's disturbing that four House Republicans have shown their true colors in this vote, helping Democrats to defeat the resolution to hold Garland in inherent contempt over the Biden-Hur recordings. Real conservative Americans must get active and put pressure on representatives to bring Garland to justice.
• Democratic narrative, as provided by The New Republic. Despite the eleventh-hour support of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), the unreasonable resolution that would impose daily fines on Garland failed to pass the House floor. As transcripts of the interview have been made available after Biden invoked executive privilege, it's clear that this is all political revenge against Garland on behalf of Trump.

Predictions