The Justice Department (DOJ) has once again snubbed a demand from Republican lawmakers for audio recordings of President Joe Biden's interview with special counsel Robert Hur, intensifying a standoff over access to critical materials in the GOP's impeachment investigation of President Biden, The Hill reported.
In a letter sent on Thursday, the DOJ declined to hand over the recordings, citing concerns about their potential misuse and the lack of a legitimate legislative or impeachment purpose for their release.
This decision raises the prospect of contempt proceedings against Attorney General Merrick Garland, a move previously suggested by House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.
Carlos Uriarte, head of legislative affairs for the DOJ, criticized the demands, saying, "Our cooperation has been extraordinary. The committees have not responded in kind." He expressed skepticism about the motives behind the requests, suggesting they may be politically motivated.
The dispute centers on the House Judiciary Committee's and House Oversight and Accountability Committee's desire for access to recordings of Biden's interview with Hur, which focused on handling classified documents during Biden's tenure as vice president. While the committees already possess a transcript of the interview, Republicans argue that the recordings offer unique insights into Biden's demeanor and communication style.
The DOJ contends that releasing the recordings could impede law enforcement efforts and deter future cooperation from witnesses.
Republican lawmakers have criticized the DOJ's refusal to comply with their demands, accusing the agency of partisan obstruction and asserting that the recordings are essential for a thorough impeachment inquiry. They argue that the recordings provide valuable context and nuance that cannot be captured through written transcripts alone.
"Your response to the subpoenas remains inadequate, suggesting that you are withholding records for partisan purposes and to avoid political embarrassment for President Biden," they wrote.
The duo said there is a greater insight to be gained from audio recordings: "a unique and invaluable medium of information that capture vocal tone, pace, inflections, verbal nuance, and other idiosyncrasies."
A "transcription is incapable of recording these revealing verbal cues," they wrote.
This latest clash follows an earlier rejection by the DOJ of a similar request for audio recordings of Biden's interview with Hur. In that instance, the department accused the committees of escalating the conflict without a clear "investigative purpose," according to a letter sent to Jordan and Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., that was obtained by CBS News in early April.
According to Hur's report, Biden would be characterized in any legal proceedings as a "sympathetic, well-intentioned elderly man with a faulty memory," a portrayal swiftly seized upon by Republicans, Politico reported.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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