Two House of Representatives from Ohio voted against a bill that would have imposed a $10,000 daily fine on Attorney General Merrick Garland for his refusal to provide audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interviews with Special Counsel Robert Hur.
The vote was 204 to 210. Had four GOP representatives joined all their colleagues, the motion would have passed 208 to 206.
Representatives Dave Joyce (R-OH-14) and Mike Turner (R-OH-10), along with Tom McClintock (R-CA-05 ) and John Duarte (R-CA-13), voted against this bill.
Last month, House Republicans voted to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt for refusing to comply with their request to hand over audio recordings of Biden’s interview with Hur.
Florida U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL-13) forced the vote for “inherent contempt” to emphasize Congress’s commitment to enforcing compliance.
Joyce was the lone Republican last month to vote against holding Garland in contempt of Congress. Last month The Hill reported that Joyce said, “As a former prosecutor, I cannot in good conscience support a resolution that would further politicize our judicial system to score political points. The American people expect Congress to work for them, solve policy problems and prioritize good governance. Enough is enough.”
After failing to pass this bill, Rep. Luna announced plans to reintroduce the vote when more members are present.
Luna stated on X, “Today’s vote on my inherent contempt resolution and the legislative appropriations bill did not pass due to some Republican absences. An overwhelming majority of the party supports this resolution, and it already survived multiple kill-shot attempts by Democrats. Our efforts have not been futile, and I thank all the Members who have been fighting alongside me to restore justice and order in our institutions. I have refiled the resolution and will be calling it up again in a couple of weeks when Congress is back in session and Members return.”
“Attorney General Merrick Garland will pay and be held accountable for trying to undermine our institutions. No one is above the law,” she said.
Former President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Luna’s effort.
Thank you President Trump! It’s time for inherent contempt. pic.twitter.com/bYbtmC9HX7
— Anna Paulina Luna (@VoteAPL) July 10, 2024
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Christy Kelly is a reporter at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Christy on Twitter / X. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Dave Joyce” by Dave Joyce. Photo “Mike Turner” by Mike Turner. Background Photo “U.S. Capitol Building” by Gagan Kaur.
