In a fiery response, House Republicans are slamming Attorney General Merrick Garland’s recent decision to release special counsel Jack Smith’s report on President-elect Donald Trump. They’re calling it a “cheap political stunt,” especially after Garland refused to make materials related to the current president, Joe Biden, public.
On Wednesday, the Justice Department announced that Garland plans to publish Smith’s final report investigating Trump’s role in attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election. However, Garland has opted not to release a second volume, which focuses on Trump’s handling of classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago resort after leaving office.
Trump’s legal team has argued against the release of any reports, claiming that Trump is “no longer a defendant in any Special Counsel matter,” especially after both cases were dismissed late last year when Trump won the election.
Republican lawmakers aren’t letting this decision slide. They accuse Smith of making a politically charged move just days before Trump is set to be sworn in as president. “If Garland truly cared about upholding the Constitution and protecting the office of President, he would have released the transcript from Special Counsel Hur’s interview with Joe Biden,” said Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), speaking to the Washington Examiner. “The Left’s witch hunt against President Trump has accomplished nothing except waste time and taxpayer dollars.”
For months, Republicans had been urging Garland to release tapes of interviews between Special Counsel Hur and Mark Zwonitzer, a ghostwriter for Biden’s memoir, as part of Hur’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents. Those efforts were halted after Hur decided not to pursue charges, and Biden invoked executive privilege to withhold the materials.
Garland had requested that Biden assert this privilege, citing concerns about the potential impact on future investigations. However, with new rules now in place, the House Judiciary Committee could subpoena Garland regarding Hur’s investigation, with some lawmakers pushing for the release of the tapes.
Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) didn’t hold back, accusing Garland of leaving behind “a disgraceful legacy of corruption.” He claims Garland’s actions are politically motivated, focusing solely on a “two-tiered system of justice” that unfairly targets Trump and his supporters. “Republicans must hold Garland accountable—and that starts with the release of the Hur tapes.”
There’s a bigger picture at play, too. Political strategists are highlighting key differences between Hur’s and Smith’s investigations, especially the fact that Trump faced charges while Biden did not. This could spark a debate about the power of executive privilege, with some speculating that Congress may start pushing back on presidents of any party to demand more transparency.
Political science professor Charles Hunt pointed out that partisan investigations are nothing new in Congress. “The dam was broken a long time ago,” Hunt told the Washington Examiner. “Whether or not Congress chooses to use political retribution or partisan inquiries depends entirely on them.”
Meanwhile, some Democrats are criticizing Garland for waiting too long to appoint Smith, which they argue allowed Trump to run out the clock on federal prosecutions and avoid accountability. Former House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) stated, “Had they proceeded with those prosecutions earlier, I believe Trump would have been convicted, and we’d have a different president now.”
However, other Democrats are supporting Garland’s decision to release Smith’s report, urging him to also make the second investigation into Trump’s handling of classified documents public. “It’s good that Garland plans to release part of the Jack Smith insurrection report,” said Rep. Steven Cohen (D-TN). “But he should also release the report on the classified documents case.”
The Justice Department has yet to comment on the matter.
What do you think? Is this move part of a bigger political game, or is Garland simply fulfilling his duty to justice? Let us know in the comments below!