The Republican-led House Foreign Affairs Committee has voted to recommend that Secretary of State Antony Blinken be held in contempt of Congress due to his absence from a scheduled hearing regarding the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The vote, which passed 26 to 25 along party lines, sets the stage for a full House vote, although prosecution by the Biden administration is considered unlikely.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller criticized the vote as a political maneuver rather than legitimate oversight, asserting that Blinken has already answered questions related to the withdrawal during multiple previous appearances before Congress. Committee Chairman Rep.
Michael McCaul accused Blinken of evasion, while Democrats on the committee argued that the proceedings undermine Congress’s authority and diminish the gravity of holding officials in contempt.
The backdrop to this conflict includes a recent Republican report blaming the Biden administration for the withdrawal, accusing it of ignoring warnings from military officials and prioritizing political considerations.
This situation highlights ongoing tensions between the Biden administration and House Republicans over foreign policy and accountability issues.