'Long live the king': Internet in splits as House GOP files lawsuit forcing Merrick Garland to turn over Biden-Hur audio tapes

WASHINGTON, DC: The House GOP has filed a lawsuit on Monday, July 1, to force Attorney General Merrick Garland to turn over audio tapes from President Joe Biden's interview with special counsel Robert Hur regarding his handling of classified documents.

This move follows a vote to hold Garland in contempt of Congress earlier this month over his non-compliance with their subpoena in the matter.

Republicans push for transparency on Joe Biden's interview tapes

The Justice Department subsequently declined to charge Garland with contempt. The lawsuit is also a way for Republicans to further highlight Biden’s age and mental sharpness, especially after his poor performance during CNN debate with Donald Trump.

Speaker Mike Johnson said that the core reason for seeking the tapes is to ensure the accuracy of the interview transcript that the committee already possesses.

"We’re not trying to embarrass the president. We’re trying to get down to the facts," Johnson said in a Friday, June 28, press conference, The Hill reported.

“So that being said, we’re going to be as aggressive as we can, use every tool in our arsenal to make sure that the evidence that the House is entitled to is turned over," he added. 

Joe Biden's executive privileges over tapes 

Biden has claimed executive privilege over the tapes which the Justice Department determined shields Garland from any consequences for failing to turn them over.

Republicans argue that Biden’s assertion of executive privilege over the tapes isn’t valid because he has already turned over the transcript of the conversation.

“Any privilege that could conceivably apply to President Biden’s interview with the Special Counsel was waived when the Executive Branch released a transcript of that interview to the press and produced that transcript to the Committee,” the lawsuit states, according to the publication. 

Justice Department is reviewing the lawsuit to seek Joe Biden's audio tapes from Robert Hur 

A Justice Department spokesperson told The Hill that they are “reviewing the lawsuit and will respond in court at the appropriate time.”

The lawsuit also brings to court the GOP’s arguments that they need the tape to further their impeachment investigation, likely igniting further scrutiny of claims they’ve struggled to back.

“The scope of the inquiry includes whether President Biden has abused his office of public trust to enrich himself or his family, including in connection with his family’s business dealings with foreign parties,” Republicans wrote in the lawsuit.

Internet reacts to the lawsuit with humor and criticism

Online reactions have been varied with many taking a humorous or critical stance on the situation. This is also because the lawsuit comes amid Supreme Court's ruling in favor of Trump having immunity for offical acts during his term in the White House.

"Thanks to the immunity ruling today, Biden can tell them to f*** off by exerting executive privilege as an official act. Biden has immunity. He can wipe his butt with their subpoena AND their lawsuit," wrote one user on X.

Another remarked, "Biden has total immunity, didn't you hear. He doesn't have to give the GOP shit."

The skepticism and humor continued with comments like, "Welcome to DAY ONE of King Biden's reign. Pound sand House GOP. LONG LIVE THE KING."

One comment read, "@TheJusticeDept doesn't want to turn these recordings over because they provide evidence that Robert Hur chose not to prosecute the Bidens because Joe was SENILE in those interviews."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online