Garland in House spotlight as panels vote on advancing contempt of Congress resolutions

Two key House committees are expected to advance resolutions holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress on Thursday, including in an evening meeting pushed back to allow Trump allies to visit his trial in New York.

Both the Judiciary and Oversight committees are looking to hold Garland in contempt over the Justice Department’s rejection of their subpoenas for recordings of audio of President Joe Biden’s interview with a special counsel on his handling of government documents.

The DOJ released transcripts of many hours of interviews between Biden and Robert Hur, but has remained consistent in rejecting attempts to garner the audio files.

Judiciary meets Thursday at 10 a.m. to consider the contempt resolution. Oversight’s meeting has been moved to 8 p.m. to accommodate some members’ travel to the Big Apple.

But first, Trump: A group of House Republicans are headed to New York City on Thursday for former President Donald Trump’s trial. Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good (R-Va.) is expected to attend, along with Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and a handful of other allies.

Speaker Mike Johnson visited the trial earlier this week, and multiple senators have also made the trip. And as our colleague Kierra Frazier said Monday: “With [Trump] barred from publicly commenting on witness testimony in his hush money trial, he’s letting his Republican friends do the talking — and attacking — for him.”

Meanwhile, on the floor: The House is expected to vote Thursday on a bill aimed at compelling Biden to deliver heavy bombs to Israel amid its ongoing war with Hamas. The measure would freeze budgets for the offices of the Defense secretary, secretary of State and National Security Council if Biden doesn’t deliver the weapons being withheld, and it also includes language condemning “the Biden Administration’s decision to pause certain arms transfers to Israel.”

House Democratic leaders have whipped against the legislation, and the White House has also weighed in with a veto threat.

Despite Democratic divisions on the war in Gaza, those within the caucus only expect a small number of defectors to vote with Republicans.

Anthony Adragna contributed to this report.