Republicans fail to pass bill holding AG Merrick Garland in contempt and fine him over Biden audiotapes

WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives on Thursday rejected a resolution to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in "inherent contempt" for failing to turn over the audiotapes of President Joe Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur.

The “privileged” resolution, written by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican and Donald Trump ally, had called for the House to impose a $10,000 daily fine on Garland for each day he fails to hand over the audiotapes.

The inherent contempt process has in the past involved the House sergeant-at-arms taking a person into custody and bringing them to be tried on the House floor, but it hasn't been used that way in more than a century in the House. Luna’s resolution only directed Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to impose the daily fine, though it was unclear how exactly he would enforce it and the matter could have ended up in court.

It did not call for Garland to be taken into custody.

The vote was 204-210. Four Republicans voted with all Democrats in rejecting the resolution, while another 12 Republicans were absent.Republicans have sought audio of Biden's interview with Hur, who was appointed by Garland to lead the investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents from his days in the Senate and as vice president. While he said Biden’s practices “present serious risks to national security,” Hur did not bring charges against the president, in part, because Biden could portray himself as an “elderly man with a poor memory” who would be sympathetic to a jury.

The Justice Department in March released redacted written transcripts of the president’s five-hour interview with Hur on Oct. 8 and 9, 2023. But Luna and other Republicans say they want to listen to the Biden