Democrat criticizes GOP effort to fine Garland: ‘They want to turn Congress into the Kremlin’

Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) on Wednesday criticized the House GOP’s effort to impeach Attorney General Merrick Garland for “inherent contempt” of Congress, calling it a “stupid resolution.”

“This is a stupid resolution,” McGovern said on the House floor. “Republican leadership knows this is a stupid resolution. Their own members know this is a stupid resolution. But they are beholden to the craziest MAGA members in their conference.”

“And so, this is what we have: stupid resolutions on the floor because they are too cowardly to stand up to extremism in their own party,” McGovern added.

He later posted a video of the moment a House member asked for his words to be removed from the record, writing in X that the Republican Party wants to “turn Congress into the Kremlin.”

This comes after Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Florida) decided to force a vote on her resolution to hold Garland accountable for “inherent contempt” of Congress and fine him $10,000 for each day he refuses to deliver the audio of President Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated the handling of classified documents.

House leaders held an immediate vote on introducing the measure – which failed 207-209 – and then one on sending the resolution to the Rules Committee, which also failed 207-211. The chamber debated the underlying resolution and a vote is expected on Thursday.

McGovern highlighted that the Justice Department has already provided the House with a written transcript of the conversation. Republicans argue that the transcript is not enough and that the audio is necessary to ensure its accuracy.

“Let’s be real. Republicans want to get these recordings because they think the RNC [Republican National Committee] can use them in attack ads. This is Republicans using the government as a weapon to persecute their political opponents and that is sick. It’s sick,” McGovern said.

The Massachusetts Democrat then listed a number of Republican lawmakers who have been called to testify before Congress and defied congressional subpoenas.

“It’s like a national pastime for Republicans,” McGovern said. “Golf, fish and ignore subpoenas. And now, and now they have the nerve to come here and lecture anyone about the rule of law.”

This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story