Republican effort to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in inherent contempt of Congress falls short

Washington –– A Republican-led effort to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in inherent contempt of Congress fell short on Thursday, without enough support among House Republicans for a resolution to impose a fine of $10,000 per day on Garland for defying a congressional subpoena.

In a 204 to 210 vote, four Republicans voted with all Democrats to oppose the measure. 

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican, forced the vote, which she has been threatening in recent weeks, warning that if Garland didn't comply with a subpoena for the audio recording of an interview concerning President Biden's handling of classified documents, that she would move forward with the tool, which has rarely been used, especially in modern times.