Staff Reports
As President Joe Biden heads for the exit in a little over two months, there’s an unmistakable whiff of panic settling over the White House. In a move that could best be described as a conservative power grab, Speaker Mike Johnson has formally instructed Biden’s administration to safeguard its records. Apparently, the new Congress is getting ready for some serious cleaning up of the Biden mess.
The urgency of Johnson’s letter to the heads of all 18 federal departments can hardly be overstated. It seems the newly emboldened Republican leadership is already preparing for what some might call a “bring on the popcorn” moment as they gear up for investigations galore. Biden’s administration has been put on notice under the banner of complying with “all statutory record retention requirements.” Hint: They better start taking it seriously.
Speaker Mike Johnson ordered the 18 federal departments to retain and preserve documents so the Biden administration can't delete or destroy records . 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 #HIAW pic.twitter.com/9oNGD5relU
— Gitmo (Health is a Wealth) 🇺🇸🇮🇱 (@Gitmo99) November 13, 2024
In his correspondence with Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, Johnson made it clear that the time for games is over. He emphasized that cooperation is crucial for a smooth transition — and history suggests that the transition from Biden to a Trump administration is going to require a LOT of cooperation. The speaker underlined the importance of preserving any and all pertinent documents, perhaps in an effort to ensure that Biden’s administration can’t just “disappear” records like they often disappear rational decision-making.
Lawmakers are already lining up a buffet of issues to investigate, including the administration’s dramatic failings at the southern border and the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. And that’s not to mention the rampant social media collusion that’s been a hallmark of the Biden administration’s attempts to stifle free speech. It seems like Democrats are taking a cue from bad spy movies — only instead of suave agents, they have clumsy bureaucrats calling the shots.
Even more entertaining is the reminder from Johnson that this isn’t the first time Biden has turned a blind eye to subpoenas. It turns out when lawmakers issued subpoenas previously, the Biden team decided they were more of a “suggestion.” However, the upcoming 119th Congress is expected to take a no-nonsense approach to compliance — and Johnson made it clear that more subpoenas could be on the horizon.
As the clock ticks toward the end of Biden’s term, one can only imagine the frantic scrambling happening behind the scenes. Speaker Johnson isn’t letting the administration off easy, and conservative lawmakers are ready to dive deep into everything from border policies to alleged bias against their political opponents. If nothing else, this transition season promises to be a riveting political drama worth watching.
