January 1, Biden Blocks Congress: Executive Privilege Conceals Controversial Interview Details

President Joe Biden asserted executive privilege last Thursday, preventing Congress from obtaining audio recordings of his interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur. This move comes as the House Oversight Committee scheduled a markup to begin the process of holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for not handing over the recording.

Back in April, Garland defied a final warning to comply with a subpoena for the audio of Biden’s interview. During this interview, Biden, 81, experienced mental lapses and “poor memory” at least seven times, according to a transcript obtained by a conservative news outlet.

Carlos Uriarte, Associate Attorney General, informed House Judiciary and Oversight Committee chairs Jim Jordan (R-OH) and James Comer (R-KY) about the President’s decision. He wrote, “I write to inform you that the President has asserted executive privilege over the requested audio recordings and is making a protective assertion of privilege over any remaining materials responsive to the subpoenas that have not already been produced.”

Uriarte also added, “It is the longstanding position of the executive branch held by administrations of both parties that an official who asserts the President’s claim of executive privilege cannot be prosecuted for criminal contempt of Congress.”

When asked about Biden’s executive action, Garland refused to comment. Meanwhile, White House Counsel Ed Siskel criticized House Republicans for demanding such sensitive and constitutionally-protected law enforcement materials. He said, “The absence of a legitimate need for the audio recordings lays bare your likely goal — to chop them up, distort them, and use them for partisan political purposes.”

Conservative think tanks and a mainstream news network have filed FOIA requests to access the audio records, but the outcome remains uncertain.

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