Biden administration officials are being hammered by Republicans leading investigations that reportedly could lead to impeachment proceedings and holding individuals in contempt. Secretary of State Antony Blinken joins the heads of the CIA, FBI, FDA, CDC and the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security in having to face congressional committees.
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, plans to move forward with a contempt of Congress charge against Secretary of State Antony Blinken on May 24.
McCaul charges that Blinken has refused to comply with a series of subpoenas from McCaul’s committee. The threat to hold Blinken in contempt stems from criminal allegations regarding withholding documents pertaining to President Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan — widely acknowledged as a failure.
According to Fox News, if McCaul moves forward, the issue would likely proceed to the House floor and pass via a party-line vote in June.
Speaking to Fox News on Monday evening, McCaul said: “I don’t take this lightly because a secretary of State’s never been held in contempt by Congress before.”
McCaul added: “And I think the secretary realizes that and the gravity. They probably prefer not to go down this route as well. But if they do not comply, we’re prepared to move forward next week with a markup for resolution of contempt.”
McCaul acknowledged that even if the House moves to hold Blinken in contempt, he would likely be shielded by President Biden’s Justice Department, which, according to Fox, “would likely decline to prosecute the case.”
McCaul indicated the seriousness of the matter in his interview with Fox News: “The Department is now in violation of its legal obligation to produce these documents and must do so immediately.”
The congressman added: “Should the Department fail to comply with its legal obligation, the Committee is prepared to take the necessary steps to enforce its subpoena, including holding you in contempt of Congress and/or initiating a civil enforcement proceeding.”
Reportedly, one of the key documents requested pertains to a “dissent report from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.” According to Fox, “dissent reports detail any misgivings U.S. officials may have with a current plan of action.”
Rather than comply with the subpoena and forward the requested transcripts of the communiques to Congress, the State Department offered to give McCaul and his committee a briefing on the document’s contents.
McCaul accepted the briefing notes but noted the summary notes do not constitute complying with the subpoena.
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