Biden blocks special counsel interview tapes release

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – President Joe Biden invoked executive privilege Thursday to block the release of audio recordings from his Special Counsel interview over his handling of classified documents.

The president’s decision came down on the same day two House committees planned to vote on whether to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress in the dispute over access to the recordings.

“The recordings are necessary,” said U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, (R-Ohio.) who chairs the House Judiciary Committee. “The transcripts alone are not sufficient evidence of the state of the president’s memory.”

The special counsel called attention to President Biden’s age in his report, ultimately deciding not to prosecute him.

“President Biden is apparently afraid for the citizens of this country and everyone to hear those tapes,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, (R-La.).

The White House said President Biden made the decision to use executive privilege at Garland’s request.

“The attorney general made it clear that law enforcement files like these need to be protected,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

The House Judiciary Committee voted along party lines Thursday to hold Garland in contempt of Congress after the U.S. Department of Justice refused to hand over the recordings.

“We have gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure that the committees get responses to their legitimate requests, but this is not one,” Garland said.

Republicans on the House Oversight Committee also plan to hold Garland in contempt. They pushed the vote to Thursday night so a group could attend former president Donald Trump’s court proceedings in New York.

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