House Republicans Must Join Rep. Anna Paulina Luna And Hold Merrick Garland In Inherent Contempt As Soon As Congress Returns

Such a move would of course be good politics. But it would also be good for the country, finally demonstrating that even the most powerful cannot evade the law’s ironclad rule.

Please consider upgrading your subscription here, or subscribe to my Newsletter if you have not done so already, to help me keep producing content of the highest possible quality. Your financial contributions, whether via an annual or monthly subscription or gift, are greatly appreciated and truly go a long way to helping me keep my writings available to everyone, free of charge.  Thank you in advance for your generosity! God bless!

Once Republicans return from the RNC, which is being held next week in Milwaukee, they must join Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s measure to hold Merrick Garland in inherent contempt over his failure to turn over crucial videos as part of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into Biden for mishandling classified documents.  On Thursday, Congressman Luna’s measure was narrowly defeated by a 204-210 vote, with four Republicans (Reps. John Duarte, David Joyce, Michael Turner, and Tom McClintock) siding with their Democratic peers, and a dozen others failing to show up altogether.

On paper, the decision whether to hold Garland in contempt of his constitutional duties was as straightforward as any issue should be for Republicans.  The Attorney General should have already been facing the legal consequences for his likely criminal actions.  As such, the failure to bring this contempt action against Garland is borderline criminal. 

First, Speaker Johnson had previously indicated that he had whipped enough Republicans to sign off on the action.  Seeing as the vote ultimately failed on the House floor despite those reassurances is disappointing to say the least and only adds to the ongoing criticisms of Mike Johnson’s leadership that has plagued him since the day he took the Speaker’s gavel.  By the way, Republicans’ failure to hold Merrick Garland in inherent contempt comes just days after the House Speaker encouraged his colleagues to “hug a Democrat,” a cringeworthy olive-branch given to Democratic lawmakers for the extra media scrutiny they have received lately on the Hill due to heated questioning about Joe Biden’s cognitive woes.  This has resulted in many Democrats, such as John Fetterman who was recently given the Laura Loomer treatment, complaining of anxiety and being bullied by their former friends in the mainstream press – whose slightly harder than usual questioning has sent them into hysterics, being seen as the ultimate betrayal.

These cries have exploited Republican weakness, epitomized by none other than Speaker Johnson himself, who allows misplaced sympathies for the so-called “hardships” Democratic lawmakers have faced to cloud his judgment and obfuscate priorities.  Leadership, particularly in these most tumultuous and polarized times, where a weaponized justice system threatens to decimate what remnants of a constitutional order we have remaining, is of highest importance.  Congressman Luna has done her part – it is now incumbent upon Speaker Johnson to follow through.

Shop at AMERICAS today for the best merch and use my special promocode ‘PAUL’ for 10% off your order!

Another reason why the Garland saga has drawn the ire of the MAGA faithful, including President Trump himself, who issued an endorsement in support of Congressman Luna’s measure on Truth Social this week, is that it underscores why a two-tier system of justice currently exists in America.  Republicans tend to capitulate whenever the going gets tough.  In breaking from the rest of the herd, Congressman Luna has taken on great risks – including death threats targeting her husband, though her action endears herself to the party’s grassroots.  Merrick Garland is the head of the Justice Department.  Speaker Johnson’s responsibility is to protect his ilk, recognizing the power imbalance between a singular congressperson going against the head of one of the most powerful agencies in the federal government.

President Trump’s endorsement of Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s inherent contempt measure, posted on Wednesday on Truth Social.

As it stands, the contempt resolution was already downgraded from its original formulation, which would have directed the House sergeant at arms to arrest and detain Merrick Garland over his refusal to turn over the Biden tapes.  This frustrated many Republican voters who widely saw it as their leaders’ trademark capitulation in action.  The fact that House Republicans were not able to garner enough votes to push through even the watered-down resolution – on the cusp of the Republican Convention no less, where it could have further bolstered Party momentum heading into Milwaukee, was a disappointment.  It was also bad politics.

After all, Republicans have every reason not to play nice, despite Speaker Johnson’s overtures to the contrary.  It is not as if two of MAGA’s biggest powerbrokers – Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon – are currently languishing in federal prison for not responding to a subpoena issued by the illegitimately constituted January 6^th House Committee.  What Merrick Garland did, in refusing to cooperate with the House Special Counsel, is not even in the same ballpark as either Bannon or Navarro’s case – it is many orders of magnitude worse.  And yet, Garland’s penalty for brazenly ignoring the House’s order would have amounted to a mere fine, not even being taken into custody.  Despite all those concessions, Republicans failed to accomplish even that.

On the subject of Bannon: as an aside it is worth noting the impact of MAGA’s most powerful mouthpiece on Capitol Hill being ham-fisted by his unlawful sentencing.  Bannon has always thought of himself less as a reporter than a strategist.  His bread and butter is being able to hold Congresspeople’s feet to the fire. In the Mike Johnson era, he has adeptly used his War Room platform to mobilize recalcitrant House Republicans into action. 

House Republicans are like chickens without heads without President Trump in the Oval Office calling the shots.  During the Biden years, Bannon has partly filled that void.  But now, with Bannon in prison, House Republicans have nowhere to turn for guidance. Thus, the impact of Bannon being sidelined is seen – yet another exhibition of how the two-tiered justice system stifles enemies who oppose it, particularly impactful adversaries like Bannon and Navarro who recognize politics for the blood sport it is – one that always, always, always rewards toughness over cowardice masquerading as diplomacy.

Politics is the art of rewarding friends and punishing enemies: that is an adage Democrats have long taken to heart.  Alas, far too many Republicans are apparently dyslexic, and misread that statement to reward enemies and punish friends.  This has only emboldened the Republic’s internal enemies and given Biden and the Democrats unnecessary firepower.  It is imperative, especially at a time of great vulnerability for the Democratic Party, to double and triple down our political firepower against them.  That entails further exploitation whenever they reveal weaknesses. 

Want a FREE pair of American flag socks? Donate $1 or more to PragerU and you will be gifted a pair of patriotic socks to show off how much you love America!

Nowadays, weakness runs rampant on the Left.  As they rip each other apart over whether Biden should lead their ticket, Republicans in the House should hold Merrick Garland, the principal architect of our weaponized justice system, in contempt for shredding due process and the rule of law to smithereens, further doubling down on their agonies – rather than play nice and forfeit a prime opportunity to make additional gains.

Such a maneuver would of course be good politics.  But it would also be good for the country, finally demonstrating that even the most powerful cannot evade the law’s ironclad rule. This would also restore some semblance of integrity to our justice system – and hope to a deeply jaded body politic, so disenchanted by the fact that our leaders, from Biden to the Clintons to Pelosi to Garland, all can seemingly get away with the most heinous crimes without any accountability.  It would also add to the mounting pile of misfortunes the Democratic Party can no longer pretend to ignore.  This is exactly what you want to do less than four months out from a pivotal election, one that could potentially shape the Republic for generations to come based on the stakes – rule of law versus descent into banana republicanism – that are inextricably bound with the core question of whether to hold one of the highest officials in our government accountable for actions that would cause any other American to be placed behind bars.

Become a member the newly overhauled Italian American Civil Rights League (“IACRL”) today – fighting to preserve Columbus Day and our sacred traditions!

Order your Patriot Cigars today at mypatriotcigars.com and use Promo Code: TRUMPWON for 15% OFF!

A slightly modified version of this piece was originally published in The Gateway Pundit, and can be found here.

Paul Ingrassia is a Constitutional Scholar; Communications Director of the NCLU; a two-time Claremont Fellow, and is on the Board of Advisors of the New York Young Republican Club and the Italian American Civil Rights League. He writes a widely read Substack that is regularly posted on Truth Social by President Trump. Follow him on X @PaulIngrassia, Substack, Truth Social, Instagram, and Rumble.