Reuters
Published Dec 29, 2022 01:24PM ET
Updated Dec 29, 2022 04:00PM ET
By Trevor Hunnicutt
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Thursday told Republicans hoping to investigate President Joe Biden that their requests for information for probes, including on the Afghanistan withdrawal, are improper until those lawmakers take over the House next month.
Biden's special counsel, Richard Sauber, told two Republican lawmakers expected to hold top oversight posts in the next Congress that they lack authority now and would need to redo requests for materials they've already sent to the White House once they've taken control of Congress.
Sauber told Representatives James Comer and Jim Jordan in separate letters that their demands "were not made as part of the congressional oversight process" and suggested that they would not be honored yet.
The lawmakers requested documents related to probes into the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan; the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, which started during the previous administration; and the federal government's response to threats against members of local school boards over pandemic-era restrictions and curriculum disputes.
"Should the Committee issue similar or other requests in the 118th Congress, we will review and respond to them in good faith, consistent with the needs and obligations of both branches," Sauber wrote. "We expect the new Congress will undertake its oversight responsibilities in the same spirit of good faith."
Republicans, who take control of the House of Representatives next month, have also prioritized investigating the Democratic president and his son Hunter's business dealings.
Democrats, who retain control of the White House and Senate, are working to aggressively contest those investigations.
Comer, a Kentucky Republican, is expected to chair the House Oversight and Reform Committee. Jordan, an Ohio Republican, is expected to chair the judiciary panel. Both have threatened legal action if they are rebuffed.
In a statement, Comer suggested Biden was falling short on promises to be transparent and vowed to "continue pressing for the answers, transparency, and accountability that the American people deserve." House Judiciary Republicans sent a tweet and called the latest development "ridiculous."
Biden's lawyers and Democratic allies have dismissed the investigations as politically motivated, at odds with voters' priorities and worked to position the probes as extreme.
(This story has been refiled to add dropped word 'and' in paragraph 9)
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.