WASHINGTON – As House Republicans continue their impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden, The White House presented a new offer Wednesday: a meeting between Biden aides and Republican staff to begin negotiations.
The White House made the offer in a letter to House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. It’s a sign of possible future cooperation between the White House and House Republicans as GOP leaders consider holding a vote to formally authorize the investigation to strengthen its legal position.
Comer and Jordan sent a letter to the White House on Tuesday, which was not made public until Wednesday, expressing concern about a subpoena the Oversight Committee previously issued to former White House counsel Dana Remus. The subpoena called for the lawyer to testify behind closed doors about Biden’s handling of the classified documents.
The two GOP presidents accuse the White House of having made only an “amorphous and generalized objection” to the subpoenas.
But notably, the letter states that “the committees are prepared to provide reasonable accommodation to Ms. Remus and we are prepared to work with the White House to address any legitimate institutional interest of the Executive Branch.”
In the White House response, Special Advisor Dick Sauber rejected accusations from House Republicans that the Biden administration has offered vague defenses to overturn the subpoenas. Instead, he argued that the subpoena could interfere with a separate ongoing investigation by a special counsel into Biden’s classified materials.
“Contrary to your letter of December 5, 2023, we have repeatedly raised significant legal and constitutional concerns regarding your efforts to compel Ms. Remus’ testimony,” Sauber said.Id.
However, Sauber said the White House was pleased to see that GOP investigators were “willing to discuss accommodations” to address concerns they have already raised about Remus’ testimony.
It’s unclear whether the White House and House Republicans would cooperate on this issue given the situation. existing hostilities between GOP investigators and Biden aides.
House Republicans have repeatedly accused the White House of obstructing their impeachment inquiry, while the Biden administration has claimed it has fully cooperated with the investigation, offering witnesses and evidence rebutting some of the allegations GOP investigators have leveled at the White House.
“Instead of cooperating with Congress, the White House created a situation room with two dozen staffers to fight our constitutional oversight and send sarcastic letters,” said Oversight Committee spokeswoman Jessica Collins. of the House of Representatives, in a press release.
The nature of Comer and Jordan’s letter, which appears to offer to address the Biden administration’s concerns, is unusual given that most of the Oversight and Judiciary committee letters have been made public. Unlike other letters, it is not listed on the oversight committee’s website.
USA TODAY has contacted the House Judiciary Committee for comment.
