President Joe Biden asserting executive privilege represents a double standard, Trump Campaign Spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement Thursday.
Biden asserted executive privilege on Thursday over his interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur to prevent Congress from obtaining his audio recording.
The House Oversight Committee scheduled a markup on Thursday to begin the process of holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for his refusal to hand over the recording.
“Crooked Joe Biden and his feeble administration have irretrievably politicized the key constitutional tenet of executive privilege, denying it to their political opponents while aggressively trying to use it to run political cover for Crooked Joe,” Cheung said.
Shortly after the White House asserted executive privilege, the Department of Justice (DOJ) alleged Biden’s executive privilege prevents Congress from holding Garland in contempt of Congress. That apparently will not deter Republicans.
WH Counsel letter to House GOP:
— Ian Sams (@IanSams46) May 16, 2024
POTUS “promised he would restore longstanding norms regarding DOJ independence”
Condemns GOP’s “damaging efforts to undermine the very independence and impartiality of DOJ and the criminal justice system that POTUS seeks to protect”
READ >> pic.twitter.com/LD5tt9mpmu
“Today’s Hail Mary from the White House changes nothing for our committee,” House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) responded in a statement:
The White House is asserting executive privilege over the recordings, but it has already waived privilege by releasing the transcript of the interview.
The House Oversight Committee will move forward with its markup of a resolution and report recommending to the House of Representatives that Attorney General Garland be held in contempt of Congress for defying a lawful subpoena.
Clearly President Biden and his advisors fear releasing the audio recordings of his interview because it will again reaffirm to the American people that President Biden’s mental state is in decline. The House Oversight Committee requires these recordings as part of our investigation of President Biden’s mishandling of classified documents.
James Comer:
— Big Fish (@BigFish3000) May 16, 2024
Later today we will hold Merrick Garland in Contempt of Congress. pic.twitter.com/bwfXvzeWdM
The White House previously bragged about not asserting executive privilege over Hur’s probe into Biden for mishandling classified documents. White House spokesman Ian Sams touted not asserting executive privilege over the investigation, the House Judiciary Committee posted in a flashback on Thursday.
“He was transparent,” Sams told reporters. “He had nothing to hide.”
🚨FLASHBACK🚨
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) May 16, 2024
In February, White House spokesman Ian Sams bragged about Joe Biden not asserting 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
Wendell Husebo is a political reporter with Breitbart News and a former GOP War Room Analyst. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality. Follow Wendell on “X” @WendellHusebø or on Truth Social @WendellHusebo.