The House Judiciary Committee is moving forward to hold Mark Zwonitzer, ghostwriter of President Joe Biden's memoir, in contempt of Congress over subpoena compliance issues.
The Washington Examiner reported that the House is currently embroiled in a significant legal battle with Mark Zwonitzer, the ghostwriter for President Joe Biden’s 2017 memoir, "Promise Me, Dad." On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee decided to advance a contempt resolution against Zwonitzer to the full House, marking a crucial escalation in the confrontation.
The move follows months of complex legal interactions between Congress and Zwonitzer. The roots of the issue trace back to March when the House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena to Zwonitzer.
This legal directive required him to provide records of his collaborative work with Biden on his memoir, specifically focusing on any sensitive information that may have been improperly handled or disclosed.
Despite the subpoena, Zwonitzer has consistently refused to surrender the requested documents or materials. He argues that the breadth of the request infringes upon his constitutional rights, making it excessively broad and an infringement on his privileges as a citizen and writer.
Amidst this legal strife, further details emerged from former special counsel Robert Hur's investigation.
Hur revealed that Biden discussed classified information with Zwonitzer, which was later substantiated by recovered audio recordings and interview transcripts. These revelations have inflamed the situation, prompting the Judiciary Committee to take a firmer stance.
The ongoing dispute intensified as Zwonitzer took steps to delete some of these recordings after receiving threats, though he feared a potential hack.
Nevertheless, these recordings were eventually retrieved from his technology and examined by officials. Despite the recovery, Robert Hur concluded that the evidence was insufficient to charge Zwonitzer with obstruction of a federal investigation.
This case comes amidst a wider political context, where contempt of Congress charges have become more prevalent, particularly under the current administration
. Just this year, the House also voted to hold Attorney President Joe Biden asserted executive privilege over his interviews with Hur but not over his interviews with Zwonitzer for his memoir.
The potential consequences for Zwonitzer, should the full House pass the contempt resolution, are severe. Being referred to the Department of Justice for prosecution places him at a critical junction.
Historically, the House has voted to hold 11 individuals in contempt of Congress since 2008, but only two, Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon, have faced prosecution by the DOJ.
The Department of Justice itself remains tight-lipped about their stance on Zwonitzer’s case. This silence follows closely on the heels of their decision to not prosecute Attorney General Merrick Garland after the House held him in contempt for refusing to provide certain audio recordings.
Garland's non-prosecution was based on his adherence to DOJ protocol, incorporating executive privilege—a legal principle that President Biden had selectively asserted during Hur’s investigation.
In conclusion, the proceedings against Mark Zwonitzer not only encapsulate a legal struggle but also reflect broader political and judicial trends.
The outcome of this case could potentially set new benchmarks for how Congress handles cases of perceived non-compliance with subpoenas, especially concerning private citizens involved in governmental affairs. The decision of whether to prosecute Zwonitzer now rests with the DOJ following the looming vote in the House.