Representative Anna Paulina Lune (R-FL) is looking to force a vote on the potential arrest of Attorney General Merrick Garland.
The move comes as the Department of Justice (DOJ) refused to act on Congress holding Garland in contempt.
Luna sent a letter to House Republicans, claiming that the DOJ’s failure to act has undermined Congress.
She wrote that the DOJ’s “blatant disregard for Congress as an institution, exemplified by its refusal to prosecute Attorney General Merrick Garland, is a direct threat to this legislative body.”
“It is imperative that Congress uses its inherent contempt powers and instructs the Sergeant at Arms to bring Attorney General Garland to the House for questioning and compel him to produce the requested evidence,” Luna added.
Her letter asserted that the “only option to ensure compliance with our subpoena is to use our constitutional authority of inherent contempt. In the next few days, I will call up my resolution holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in inherent contempt of Congress, and I look forward to each of you voting in favor of it.”
“The urgency of this situation cannot be overstated,” Luna concluded. “Our ability to legislate effectively and fulfill our constitutional duties is at stake. We must act now to protect the integrity and independence of the legislative branch.”
Garland was recently found in contempt of Congress by the House of Representatives for his refusal to provide the audio recordings of Biden’s interview. The Biden administration has persisted in claiming that since the memo also included a written transcript, there is no need to release the audio.
According to an internal DOJ document, “Consistent with this longstanding position, no U.S. Attorney has pursued criminal contempt charges against an Executive Branch official asserting the President’s claim of executive privilege.”
