WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday will strongly rebuff what he described as “unprecedented” attacks on the Justice Department, telling Republicans who have tried to hold him in contempt that he “will not be intimidated.”
During a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee, Garland was expected to condemn the “baseless and extremely dangerous falsehoods” about the FBI and criticize threats to undermine the prosecutions of former President Donald Trump’s special counsel.
His appearance comes as Republicans move to hold him in contempt for the Biden administration’s refusal to release the audio of President Joe Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hurthat focused on the president’s handling of classified documents.
A transcript of Biden’s interview has been released, but the president last month asserted executive privilege over the audio to block its release. The White House has said lawmakers only want the audio so they can chop it up and use it for political purposes.
The Justice Department has argued that witnesses are less likely to cooperate if they know their interviews could become public.
Garland will tell lawmakers he “will not jeopardize the ability of our prosecutors and agents to do their jobs effectively in future investigations.”
“I will not be intimidated,” Garland will say, according to prepared remarks to reporters. “And the Department of Justice will not be intimidated. We will continue to do our work without political influence. And we will not shy away from defending our democracy.”
