The White House has previously boasted that it would not claim executive privilege over Special Counsel Rob Hur’s investigation into President Joe Biden’s mishandling of classified documents.
On Thursday, the White House’s stance changed dramatically when Biden asserted executive authority over his interview with Xu and blocked Congress from obtaining an audio recording of the interview.
Mr. Biden, 81, experienced confusion or “memory failure” at least seven times during the interview with Mr. Xu, according to records obtained by Breitbart News.
The House Oversight Committee scheduled a raise Thursday to begin proceedings to charge Attorney General Merrick Garland with contempt of Congress for refusing to hand over the recordings. The contempt suit is part of the impeachment inquiry against Biden.
The shift in policy came after White House press secretary Ian Sams insisted he would not claim executive privilege over the investigation, the House Judiciary Committee posted in Flashback Thursday.
“He was transparent,” Sams told reporters. “He had nothing to hide.”
🚨Flashback🚨
In February, White House Press Secretary Ian Sams boasted that Joe Biden did not claim executive privilege during Special Counsel Hur’s investigation.
“He had nothing to hide.”
Why is Biden hiding behind executive privilege now? pic.twitter.com/UyJlezliv1
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) May 16, 2024
Shortly after the White House asserted executive privilege, the Department of Justice (DOJ) argued that Biden’s executive privilege prevented Congress from holding Garland in contempt of Congress.
That obviously won’t stop the Republicans. “This is a five-alarm fire in the White House,” said House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) answered In a statement:
The White House claims executive privilege over the recordings, but has already waived that privilege by releasing the transcripts of the interviews. Today’s Hail Mary from the White House changes nothing for our committee. The House Oversight Committee will proceed to mark up the resolution and submit a report recommending to the House that Attorney General Garland be held in contempt of Congress for failing to comply with a lawful subpoena.
Apparently, President Biden and his advisers are afraid to release the audio recording of the interview because it would remind the American public that President Biden’s mental health is deteriorating. The House Oversight Committee has requested these recordings as part of its investigation into President Biden’s mishandling of classified documents.
James Comer:
Later today, Merrick Garland will be tried for contempt of Congress. pic.twitter.com/bwfXvzeWdM— Big Fish (@BigFish3000) May 16, 2024
Mike Davis, founder and chairman of the Article III Project, said Republicans need to move forward in obtaining the recordings.
“House Republicans must obtain these recordings as part of their impeachment powers,” he said. Said. “Now, Biden is hiding behind executive privilege to prevent the American people from knowing how he deliberately stole and shared with a ghostwriter the confidential transcripts of his book for which Biden received an $8 million advance. There is.”
“Biden is putting our national security at grave risk for personal financial gain. Now he is leading a cover-up,” it added.
Legal analyst Phil Holloway said executive privilege had been abused. “Presidential prerogative is to have conversations with his advisers so that he can speak freely on matters related to the office of the president and his official duties,” he said. Posted About X. “We will not respond to the prosecution’s grilling.”
“Joe Biden is hiding behind executive privilege to prevent the American people from hearing how he intentionally mishandled classified information for personal financial gain,” House Speaker Elise said.・Stefanik (Republican, New York) Said In a statement.
Letter from WH advisor to House Republicans:
The president has “committed to restoring longstanding norms of Justice Department independence.”
Condemns Republicans’ “harmful efforts to undermine the very independence and impartiality of the criminal justice system that the Justice Department and the president seek to protect.”
Read >> pic.twitter.com/LD5tt9mpmu
— Ian Sams (@IanSams46) May 16, 2024
Wendell Husebo is a political reporter for Breitbart News and a former Republican war room analyst.he is the author of politics of slave morality.Follow Wendell “X” @WendellHusebø or society of truth @WendellHusebo.
