House GOP, DOJ go to court over Biden, special counsel interview tapes

Clash over release could shed light on classified documents investigation

The House Judiciary Committee is suing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to obtain access to interview tapes of former President Donald Trump's allies who were questioned by Special Counsel Jack Smith in the ongoing investigation into the handling of classified documents.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, alleges that the DOJ has failed to comply with a subpoena issued by the committee.

The committee is seeking the tapes as part of its investigation into the Biden administration's handling of classified documents.

Committee: Tapes could shed light on Biden handling of classified documents

In a statement, Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said the tapes could shed light on the Biden administration's handling of classified documents.

"The American people deserve to know what the Biden administration knew about the mishandling of classified documents and when they knew it," Jordan said.

"These tapes could provide critical information about the Biden administration's compliance with the law and its handling of classified information," he added.

DOJ: Tapes could compromise ongoing investigation

The DOJ has argued that releasing the tapes could compromise the ongoing investigation.

In a court filing, the DOJ said the tapes contain "sensitive information" that could harm the investigation if released.

The DOJ also argued that the committee's request is "overly broad" and would require the DOJ to produce a "voluminous" amount of information.

Legal battle could delay investigation

The legal battle over the tapes could delay the investigation into the handling of classified documents.

If the committee is successful in obtaining the tapes, it could provide a major boost to the investigation.

However, if the DOJ is successful in blocking the release of the tapes, it could prevent the committee from obtaining critical information about the investigation.