Attorney General Merrick Garland, facing a contempt vote in Congress, assailed House Republicans on Tuesday, accusing his critics of attempting to undermine the rule of law, peddling “conspiracy theories” and spreading falsehoods. Garland pushed back against the false accusation that the Justice Department was somehow behind the prosecution and conviction of former President Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal. The case was brought by Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney who, as a local prosecutor, is not under the control of President Biden or his administration, reports the New York Times. “That conspiracy theory is an attack on the judicial process itself,” said his prepared remarks to the House Judiciary Committee. The committee and the House Oversight Committee have recommended holding Garland in contempt for refusing to turn over audio recordings of interviews that special counsel Robert Hur did with President Biden last year.
Hur cleared Biden of criminal wrongdoing over his retention of classified material, despite faulting his memory and handling of sensitive documents. By contrast, prosecutors accused Trump of risking national security secrets by hoarding government records at his Mar-a-Lago resort. “Certain members of this committee and the Oversight Committee are seeking contempt as a means of obtaining — for no legitimate purpose — sensitive law enforcement information that could harm the integrity of future investigations,” Garland said. He has argued that the recordings could be altered and used in pro-Trump political ads. “I will not be intimidated,” he said. “And the Justice Department will not be intimidated". Last month, President Biden used executive privilege to deny House Republicans access to the recordings, protecting DOJ and Garland from potential prosecution. Garland said at the time that the bid by Republicans was the latest in “a series of unprecedented and, frankly, unfounded attacks” on the Justice Department and the rule of law.