In a significant showdown between the House Republicans and the justice department, the House is expected to vote on a resolution holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress. The resolution stems from Garland's refusal to turn over the audio of President Joe Biden's interview in his classified-documents case. The vote comes in the wake of the White House's recent decision to block the release of the recording to lawmakers.

House Republicans view the contempt action as their strongest rebuke yet against the justice department and Garland's leadership. The conflict over the rule of law has become a central focus in the 2024 presidential campaign. Republicans have voiced their opposition to the pending criminal cases against former President Donald Trump, their presumed nominee, while criticizing what they perceive as corruption within the Biden administration.

House Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized the importance of defending the constitution and the authority of Congress during a press conference. He stated, "We can't allow the Department of Justice and executive branch to hide information from Congress."

However, the outcome of the vote remains uncertain due to the slim majority held by Republicans in the House. Any bill without Democratic support, like the contempt resolution, could quickly collapse if a few Republicans defect.

To ease concerns about the vote count, Republican leaders addressed the issue during their weekly conference meeting. Majority Leader Steve Scalise noted that there were no apparent questions raised among the membership and stressed the importance of getting the facts out. He quoted Ronald Reagan, saying, "Trust but verify. Why not show the audio to verify?"

The dispute arose when Special Counsel Robert Hur declined to prosecute Biden over his handling of classified documents and initiated an investigation. Representatives Jim Jordan and James Comer, leading the GOP lawmakers, subpoenaed the audio of Biden's interviews with Hur. However, the justice department only provided some of the records, omitting the audio of the president's interview.

If the efforts to hold Garland in contempt are successful, he would become the third attorney general to face this action. However, it is unlikely that the justice department, which Garland oversees, would prosecute him. The invocation of executive privilege by the White House to shield the audio recording from Congress would make it challenging to pursue a criminal case against Garland.

The White House and congressional Democrats have criticized the Republicans' motives for pursuing a contempt citation, dismissing their efforts as purely political. They have also pointed out Representative Jordan's defiance of his own congressional subpoena in the past.

During the floor debate, New York Representative Jerry Nadler, the top Democrat on the judiciary committee, defended Garland, stating that the contempt resolution would do little more than smear his reputation.

Garland himself has defended the justice department's actions, highlighting the provision of information to the committees about Hur's investigation, including a transcript of Biden's interview. He denounced the use of contempt as a method to obtain sensitive law enforcement files and labeled the attacks on the justice department as unfounded.

The White House invoked executive privilege on the last day to comply with the Republican subpoena for the audio, arguing that it was intended for political purposes. Executive privilege grants presidents the right to withhold information to protect the confidentiality of decision-making, though it can be legally challenged.

Notably, past administrations of both political parties have maintained that officials asserting executive privilege are protected from contempt of Congress charges. This information was conveyed to Republicans by Assistant Attorney General Carlos Felipe Uriarte, who referenced a similar situation involving then President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

The last time an attorney general was held in contempt was in 2019, when the Democratically controlled House voted to hold then Attorney General Bill Barr in contempt for refusing to turn over documents related to a special counsel investigation into President Trump.

The investigation into President Biden's retention of classified documents was conducted by Special Counsel Hur. His extensive report questioned Biden's age and mental competence but did not recommend criminal charges against the 81-year-old president. Hur testified before the judiciary committee in March, defending his assessment. However, Republicans remain dissatisfied, citing a perceived politically motivated double standard at the justice department as Trump is being prosecuted for similar issues.

It should be noted that significant differences exist between the two probes. Biden's team returned the documents and cooperated with the investigation, while Trump is accused of concealing documents and attempting to destroy potentially incriminating evidence.

The outcome of the contempt resolution against Attorney General Garland and the ongoing conflict surrounding the Biden administration's handling of classified documents will undoubtedly continue to shape the political landscape as the 2024 presidential campaign approaches.