Results for: Executive privilege

President Biden’s assertion of executive privilege to withhold audio recordings of his interviews with special counsel Robert Hur has drawn comparisons to former President Trump’s attempts to use the privilege. While transcripts of the interviews have been released to a committee, the White House claims that the recordings need to be protected. Attorney General Merrick Garland has defended Biden’s decision, citing potential harm to future investigations. However, the House Judiciary Committee has advanced a resolution to hold Garland in contempt for failing to produce the recordings.

President Biden’s assertion of executive privilege over audio recordings of his interviews with Special Counsel Robert Hur has sparked debate among legal experts. While the White House maintains that the move was made at the request of Attorney General Merrick Garland to protect law enforcement files, some experts believe it’s a political decision designed to hide potentially embarrassing information. The House Judiciary and Oversight Committees have subpoenaed the materials but have been met with resistance from the Justice Department, which invoked executive privilege. Despite the president’s privilege assertions, the House may still vote to hold Garland in contempt.

US President Joe Biden has claimed executive privilege over the audio recording of his interview with special counsel Robert Hur, which is the subject of Republican efforts to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress. The House Oversight and Accountability Committee and the Judiciary Committee are planning hearings to recommend that the full House refer Garland to the Justice Department for contempt charges due to the department’s refusal to release the audio. Garland informed Biden that the audio is protected by executive privilege, arguing that releasing it would harm future law enforcement investigations. Assistant Attorney General Carlos Felipe Uriarte urged lawmakers to avoid a conflict by discontinuing contempt proceedings. White House Counsel Ed Siskel criticized Congress’s request for the recording as politically motivated, suggesting that it could be used to portray Biden negatively in the upcoming election year.

Steve Bannon’s appeal of his contempt of Congress conviction has been denied, meaning he will have to serve a prison sentence for ignoring a subpoena related to the investigation of the January 6th Capitol riot. The US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that granting Bannon’s appeal would hinder Congress’s investigatory powers, and that claiming to have acted on legal advice is not a valid defense. Bannon’s attorney has vowed to appeal the decision, citing concerns about constitutional issues and potential future abuses of executive privilege.

The Supreme Court is set to hear a landmark case regarding the power of Congress to compel testimony from presidential advisors, potentially reshaping the doctrine of executive privilege. Peter Navarro, a former White House advisor, was convicted of contempt of Congress after refusing to testify before the January 6th investigation, invoking executive privilege as instructed by former President Donald Trump. The Court must determine whether Congress had the legal authority to subpoena Navarro and whether substantial issues have been raised in his appeal to warrant his release from prison pending further proceedings. Key legal questions, including the scope of executive privilege, the ability of a sitting president to revoke privilege, and the role of good-faith belief in contempt cases, will be considered.