As a result of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s refusal to abide by a number of subpoenas, Texas Republican Rep. Michael McCaul intends to prosecute him with contempt of Congress this month.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s chairman, McCaul, has repeatedly tried to get Blinken to appear before the panel. The leading Republican now claims that he will file the contempt case on May 24. By early June, it will probably be put to a full vote on the House floor.
“I don’t take this lightly because a secretary of State’s never been held in contempt by Congress before,” McCaul told Fox News Monday evening. “And I think the secretary realizes that and the gravity. They probably prefer not to go down this route as well. But if they do not comply, we’re prepared to move forward next week with markup for resolution of contempt.”
“Even if passed by the House, the contempt charge would largely be a symbolic move, as President Biden’s Justice Department would likely decline to prosecute the case. McCaul first floated the possibility of a criminal contempt charge last week. Blinken and the State Department have blown past multiple deadlines to provide documents relating to President Biden’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan in recent months,” Fox News reported.
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