The Attorney General of President Joe Biden’s administration, Merrick Garland, was faced Wednesday with a recommendation to impeach him by House Republicans, who accuse him of contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate in their investigation of the Democrat. head of state.

Lawmakers on the American right have long been demanding the taping of the president’s testimony to a special counsel last year. The minister refused to hand it over to them.

The deposition in question was made in October, as part of an investigation into the fact that Mr. Biden had kept in his possession about twenty classified documents after he had left the White House after his term as vice president (2009-2017).

In his conclusion on the case, the special prosecutor assigned to conduct the investigation recommended that it be entered into the record, but he made controversial—and from a politically explosive—comments about the “bad memory” of the “elderly gentleman” president.

In the midst of an election year, the Democratic camp denounced the “inappropriate” comments of the prosecutor — he is a Republican — and attributed them to “political expediency.” His opponents, however, were quick to take advantage of the finding to argue that Mr. Biden is not “fit” to hold the top office.

Since then, two Republican-controlled House committees have demanded the tape of the testimony, not just the transcripts.

Mr. Garland defended his refusal to hand over the tape by citing separation of powers and the need for the Justice Department to “protect its investigations,” expressing “deep disappointment” that “this House of Representatives has turned serious Congressional power into into a political weapon,” with a press release released by his services.

The Republican suggestion that Merrick Garland be prosecuted for “attempting to obstruct a congressional investigation” has only symbolic value: it is up to the Justice Department to decide.