CNN Asks Rep. Swalwell, ‘What’s the Harm?’ of Biden Tapes

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Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., was pressed by CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota on Wednesday about what the potential harm might be in Republicans gaining access to the audio tapes of special counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Joe Biden, the Daily Caller reported.

The House Oversight Committee announced on May 13 its intent to recommend holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt over his refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena seeking the actual audio tapes of Biden’s conversation instead of the transcripts.

“One of the Republicans’ issues with Attorney General Garland yesterday is that they want the audio tapes from the interview between President Biden and special counsel Robert Hur,” Camerota said. “They think there must be something damning on there that they’re not hearing and the attorney general refuses to hand them over. He’s already provided the transcripts, the written transcripts. But he won’t provide the audio. CNN, by the way, would like to hear the audio too. What’s the harm in handing over the audio?”

Swalwell stated that the investigation is closed, and that no wrongdoing was uncovered.

“DOJ allowed Robert Hur to come testify. Robert Hur was appointed by Donald Trump, so this was a Donald Trump-appointed prosecutor who was made special counsel by Merrick Garland. The transcript was provided and actually Hur testified that at one point he told the president that the president had a photographic recall of his own house and where the materials were. So to me it just seems like there’s no end to what they would want to do,” Swalwell answered.

Camerota again asked Swalwell: “What’s the harm? Since we have the transcripts, what’s the harm of handing over the audio? Why is that a deal breaker for the attorney general?”

Swalwell defended Garland’s actions by saying the same polices that are protecting Biden’s investigation are protecting Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., from his closed investigation. “They believe once these investigations are closed that they do have to protect some of the equities of making sure that you’re not smearing unnecessarily and they’ve provided enough,” Swalwell added.

Garland fiercely pushed back against the Republicans on Tuesday saying, “I will not be intimidated, and the Justice Department will not be intimidated.”