U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland departs for a recess during a House Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Oversight of the U.S. Department of Justice”, in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 4, 2024.
Attorney General Merrick Garland will not be prosecuted for contempt of Congress because his refusal to turn over audio of President Joe Biden's interview in his classified documents case "did not constitute a crime," the Justice Department said Friday.
In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Justice Department official cited the department's longstanding policy not to prosecute for contempt of Congress officials who don't comply with subpoenas because of a president's claim of executive privilege.
Garland is the third attorney general to be held in contempt of Congress.
He has defended the Justice Department, saying officials have gone to extraordinary lengths to provide information to the committees about special counsel Robert Hur's classified documents investigation, including a transcript of Biden's interview with him.
Persons:
General Merrick Garland, U.S . Department of Justice ”, Joe Biden's, Mike Johnson, Garland, coalescing, David Joyce of Ohio, Robert Hur's
Organizations:
U.S . Department of Justice, Washington , D.C, Justice Department, Justice, White, Republicans, Republican
Locations:
Washington ,