Republican Congresswoman to Force Vote to Arrest And Put Merrick Garland On Trial

AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) notified her House colleagues on Monday that she plans to force a vote to compel the House sergeant-at-arms to arrest Attorney General Merrick Garland and bring him before the House by holding him in “inherent contempt.”

“The only option to ensure compliance with our subpoena is to use our constitutional authority of inherent contempt,” Luna wrote in her letter. “In the next few days, I will call up my resolution holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in inherent contempt of Congress, and I look forward to each of you voting in favor of it.”

House Republicans have already voted to hold Garland in contempt for refusing to turn over audio of special counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Joe Biden – the transcript has been made public. “Our ability to legislate effectively and fulfill our constitutional duties is at stake. We must act now to protect the integrity and independence of the legislative branch,” Luna claimed in her letter.

Fox News explained the maneuver, noting, “Inherent contempt differs from the criminal contempt resolution passed on June 12. The latter referred Garland to his own department for criminal charges. However, inherent contempt, if passed, could force Garland to stand trial before the House of Representatives and, if found guilty, would lead to his detention by the House Sergeant-at-Arms.”

“This is a broad power that courts have recognized as necessary for Congress to fulfill its legislative functions. Under inherent contempt, the individual is brought before the bar of the House by the Sergeant at Arms, tried by the body, and can then be detained either in the Capitol or in D.C.,” Luna wrote.

The House has not successfully held anyone in inherent contempt since 1934 when Washington lawyer William MacCracken for ten days for not complying with a Senate subpoena.