In a heated and partisan battle, the House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress. The dispute revolves around the release of audio recordings related to President Biden's handling of classified documents.

Garland had defied subpoenas from the Republican-led House Judiciary and Oversight committees, which demanded that the Justice Department provide the audiotapes of the president's interview with special counsel Robert Hur. These recordings were sought as part of the impeachment inquiry.

President Biden asserted executive privilege over the audiotapes, citing their sensitive nature. As the committees pursued charges of contempt against Garland, a resolution was passed by a vote of 216 to 207, with almost all Republicans supporting it. Representative David Joyce of Ohio was the only Republican to vote with Democrats.

Garland expressed his disappointment in a statement, saying, "It is deeply disappointing that this House of Representatives has turned a serious congressional authority into a partisan weapon."

The outcome of the House floor vote had been uncertain, given the razor-thin majority of Republicans. Nevertheless, House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, moved ahead with the contempt resolution to ensure "transparency and accountability within the Special Counsel's office."

The passed resolution directs the House speaker to refer the case to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia for potential criminal prosecution. However, it is unlikely that the Justice Department will prosecute Garland, as it is led by him. The department officials previously released a legal memo arguing against such prosecution.

The House Judiciary Committee's report emphasized the importance of the audio recordings, contending that the transcripts provided by the Justice Department do not accurately capture important verbal and nonverbal context. Additionally, the report claims that the transcripts are insufficient to arbitrate the dispute concerning President Biden's mental state.

Special counsel Robert Hur, who was appointed by Garland, previously released a comprehensive report detailing President Biden's handling of classified documents. While Hur did not recommend criminal charges, his observations about the president's memory sparked backlash from the White House and provided political leverage to Republicans.

Republicans argue that executive privilege was waived when the Justice Department turned over the transcripts to Congress. They also claim that the transcripts have been altered. The Justice Department, on the other hand, argues that disclosing the recordings could have a chilling effect on future witness cooperation in high-profile investigations.

Attorney General Garland underlined the importance of protecting the work of prosecutors and agents during a Judiciary Committee hearing, stating that he will not jeopardize their effectiveness in future investigations.

Democrats have dismissed the effort to hold Garland in contempt as a political tactic. They assert that the Justice Department has substantially cooperated with Republican requests in the impeachment investigation, which had previously stalled after Hunter Biden's testimony failed to provide incriminating evidence.

The move to hold a Cabinet official in contempt of Congress is not unprecedented. In 2019, the Democratic-controlled House held Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt for defying congressional subpoenas related to the 2020 census. Similarly, the Republican-led House held Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt in 2012 for failing to hand over documents related to the Fast and Furious scandal.