House GOP threaten to hold AG Garland in contempt of Congress over recordings of Biden interview in Hur case

House Republicans are threatening to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress over the Justice Department’s failure to produce subpoenaed audio recordings of former Special Counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Biden as part of the investigation into his handling of classified records. 

Fox News Digital obtained a letter that House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, wrote to Garland on Monday. 

HOUSE JUDICIARY SUBPOENAS BIDEN GHOSTWRITER AMID CLASSIFIED RECORDS INVESTIGATION

US Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during a meeting with US Attorney Damian Williams, not pictured, as well as federal, state, and local law enforcement leaders, in New York City on November 27, 2023. (EDUARDO MUNOZ/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

“The Department continues to withhold additional material responsive to the Committees’ subpoenas — specifically the audio recordings of Special Counsel Hur’s interviews with President Biden and the transcript and audio recordings of Special Counsel Hur’s interviews with Mr. Zwonitzer,” Comer and Jordan wrote. “The February 27 subpoenas create a legal obligation on you to produce this material.” 

Comer and Jordan said they expect Garland “to produce all responsive materials no later than 12:00 p.m. on April 8, 2024.” 

“If you fail to do so, the Committees will consider taking further action, such as the invocation of contempt of Congress proceedings,” they wrote. 

Comer and Jordan subpoenaed the Justice Department for a transcript of Hur’s interview with Biden and audio recordings. 

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., left, and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, right. (Getty Images)

Just hours before Hur was scheduled to testify publicly earlier this month, the DOJ produced to the Committees two redacted transcripts of Hur’s interviews with Biden. 

BIDEN GHOSTWRITER ESCAPES SPECIAL COUNSEL CHARGES DESPITE DELETING EVIDENCE

The Justice Department did not, however, produce the audio recordings of the interviews. Comer and Jordan said the committees “specifically prioritized” the production of those audio recordings. 

Mark Zwonitzer is seen out with an unidentified woman in New York City on Tuesday, March 11, 2024.  Special Counsel Robert Hur’s testimony in congress states that Zwonitzer had heard classified information from the President. (Probe-Media)

Meanwhile, Comer and Jordan subpoenaed Zwonitzer last week. The subpoena compels Zwonitzer to turn over all documents and communications with Biden or his staff related to his ghostwriting work on his memoirs “Promise Me, Dad” and “Promises to Keep,” including emails, call logs and more. 

The subpoena also compels Zwonitzer to turn over all contracts and agreements related to his work, along with audio recordings of interviews and conversations with Joe Biden and transcripts of those conversations and interviews. 

HUR TESTIFIES HE ‘DID IDENTIFY EVIDENCE’ THAT ‘PRIDE AND MONEY’ MOTIVATED BIDEN TO RETAIN CLASSIFIED RECORDS

The president has claimed that he did not share classified information with Zwonitzer, but Hur’s report, released last month, states that Biden would “read from his notebooks nearly verbatim, sometimes for an hour or more at a time,” and “at least three times President Biden read classified notes from national security meetings” to Zwonitzer “nearly verbatim.” 

HUR TESTIFIES BIDEN ‘WILLFULLY RETAINED CLASSIFIED MATERIALS,’ BUT PROSECUTORS ‘HAD TO CONSIDER’ MENTAL STATE

Hur testified earlier this month that Zwonitzer “slid” files of audio recordings and transcripts of conversations with Biden “into his recycle bin on his computer” upon learning that a special counsel had been appointed to investigate the matter.

Jordan, during Hur’s public hearing earlier this month, asked whether the ghostwriter tried to “destroy the evidence.” 

“Correct,” Hur testified. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Hur did not bring charges after his months-long investigation.