Republican Mocked Over Plan to Take Merrick Garland Into Custody

Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) speaks alongside House Republicans during a press conference at Collect Pond Park outside of Manhattan Criminal Court during Donald Trump's hush money trial on May 16, 2024 in New York City. The lawmaker faces ridicule after proposing a plan to detain Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Florida Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has been the target of online mockery Sunday after proposing an unusual plan to take Attorney General Merrick Garland into custody.

During an appearance on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures with host Maria Bartiromo, Luna outlined her quest to use a little-known provision, last employed in the "early 1900s," to enforce a Contempt of Congress resolution against Garland.

The resolution, passed by the House on Wednesday, stems from Garland's refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena demanding audio recordings of President Joe Biden's interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur.

Hur, appointed to investigate the president's handling of classified documents, ultimately concluded that there was insufficient evidence to bring charges against Biden.

Despite the Department of Justice's clear statement that it will not prosecute Garland, citing the president's invocation of executive privilege, Luna said she remains undeterred. The lawmaker plans to push for a vote on her resolution, which would empower Congress to use the House Sergeant at Arms to apprehend Garland and seize the requested tapes.

"Several months ago, I introduced a resolution for something called Inherent Contempt of Congress. This is something that Congress has the authority to do, and it hasn't been done since the early 1900's…I anticipated that the Department of Justice would not do their job. And so, I had this teed up and ready to go. I've brought this to Speaker [Mike] Johnson's attention."

Luna's unconventional approach has drawn sharp criticism on social media.

Rick Wilson, one of the co-founders of The Lincoln Project, questioned Luna's mental faculties, posting on X, "Something is wrong with that girl's medulla oblongata."

American lawyer and Democratic activist Aaron Parnas dismissed the plan, stating, "This will never happen. Another Republican lie."

Newsweek has contacted both Luna and Garland's offices via email on Sunday.

The White House has also weighed in on the matter, with Biden's lawyers denouncing Special Counsel Hur's portrayal of the president as a "doddering, elderly man with a poor memory" and "diminished faculties." They argue that this characterization is both inaccurate and inappropriate, given Biden's cooperation with the investigation.

As the battle over the subpoenaed recordings intensifies, Speaker Mike Johnson has signaled the House's intention to file a lawsuit seeking a judicial order compelling Garland to comply.

The Department of Justice, however, maintains that executive privilege is legally justified in this case, as lawmakers have already been provided with transcripts of the interview. They contend that releasing the audio recordings could jeopardize the department's ability to conduct sensitive, high-profile investigations in the future.

Luna's plan has reignited debates about the limits of congressional oversight, the scope of executive privilege, and the delicate balance of power between the legislative and executive branches.

As the controversy continues to unfold, it remains to be seen whether Luna's unorthodox strategy will gain traction within the Republican Party or be relegated to the annals of political history as a fleeting moment of political theater.

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