Garland's Testimony Sparks Republican Contempt Resolution Amid Scrutiny of Biden's Mental Fitness

House Republicans have passed a contempt resolution against Attorney General Merrick Garland for refusing to provide audio recordings of Special Counsel Robert Hur's interview with President Biden. The move comes as Republicans question Biden's mental fitness and accuse the DOJ of selective prosecution.

House Republicans' contempt resolution against Attorney General Merrick Garland has taken a significant step forward, setting the stage for a chamber-wide vote amidst a contentious debate over President Biden's mental fitness.

The resolution passed the House Rules Committee along party lines, following a heated hearing that saw Republicans and Democrats clash over Special Counsel Hur's assertions regarding Biden's memory and ability to stand trial.

Republicans have seized on Hur's report, which cleared Biden of wrongdoing but noted his "willful retention and disclosure of classified materials," as evidence of his declining cognitive abilities. They accuse the DOJ of selectively prosecuting Biden while turning a blind eye to his son Hunter's legal issues.

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, dismissed Hur's description of Biden's mental state as "gratuitous," while Republicans defended it as a valid reason for not recommending prosecution.

House Rules Committee Chairman Michael Burgess (R-TX) implored Garland to release the audio of the interview, allowing the American people to judge Biden's fitness for office.

Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) argued that Hur's "gratuitous statement" explained the decision against prosecution, casting Biden as a sympathetic figure who might elicit jury sympathy due to his age and perceived vulnerability.

Democrats, however, countered that the GOP's focus on the Biden tapes was a distraction from the fact that the Republican nominee for president, Donald Trump, had been convicted of a felony.

Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) invoked Hunter Biden's recent conviction on federal gun charges to refute accusations of DOJ weaponization, accusing Republicans of double standards.

Despite the likelihood of the resolution passing along party lines, House GOP leaders have a narrow margin of error with their two-seat majority. The House-wide vote is expected to take place on Wednesday.

Republicans' pursuit of the Hur-Biden tapes aligns with their broader impeachment inquiry into Biden over allegations of corruption and nepotism. They claim that Biden and his family have used his political position to enrich themselves, a charge that the White House has vehemently denied.