Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) is pressing ahead with her plan to initiate a House vote to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in “inherent contempt.” This historic move is scheduled for Wednesday, aiming to address Garland’s non-compliance with Congressional requests.
Luna expressed her determination on X, stating, “Democrats can vote with us! Get us the tapes! Tomorrow we will bring the vote on inherent contempt to the floor!” This announcement comes amid ongoing discussions among House Democrats about President Biden’s future in the upcoming election.
The exact timing of Luna’s intended vote remains uncertain. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has reportedly suggested Luna delay the vote. A vote to hold a cabinet member in inherent contempt has not occurred in nearly a century, underscoring the rarity of this action.
Luna highlighted the significance of inherent contempt as a tool for ensuring compliance from cabinet members. She explained, “Under inherent contempt, the individual is brought before the bar of the House by the Sergeant at Arms, tried by the body, and can then be detained either in the Capitol or in D.C. This process demonstrates the seriousness with which Congress views non-compliance and the potential consequences for those who refuse to cooperate.”
This move follows a prior vote in June, where the GOP-controlled House voted 216-207 to hold Garland in contempt of Congress. This vote was due to Garland’s refusal to provide Congress with the audio recording of special counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Biden concerning his classified documents investigation.
In his report, Hur concluded, “Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.” Despite this assessment, Hur did not pursue charges against Biden.
Luna’s insistence on moving forward with the inherent contempt vote reflects her commitment to ensuring government officials are held accountable and transparent in their actions. Her efforts aim to demonstrate the seriousness with which Congress approaches compliance and oversight.
