White House Investigated Over Biden’s 'Garbage' Comment for Potential Federal Law Violation

According to two House Republicans, attempting to reframe President Joe Biden’s controversial comment may cross legal boundaries.

During a virtual event on Tuesday, President Biden remarked, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters,” reportedly targeting former President Trump’s supporters after a Sunday Trump rally, as noted by CNN.

In an effort to mitigate the backlash, Biden and his aides claimed there was an implied apostrophe that was overlooked. The official transcript now suggests a revised interpretation, indicating Biden was referring to “his supporter’s — his — his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American.”

House Republican Conference Chairwoman Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York and House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer of Kentucky argue that altering the comment could be a violation, especially concerning the Presidential Records Act, accusing the White House of prioritizing “political PR” over transparency.

In a letter to White House Counsel Edward Siskel, Stefanik and Comer demanded that all internal discussions aimed at reframing Biden's statement be documented, and that an unaltered transcript be posted on the official government website, according to the House Oversight Committee's news release.

“Americans were rightfully insulted when President Biden, seeking to boost Ms. Harris’s presidential campaign, referred to an enormous swath of the country as ‘floating . . . garbage,’” the letter stated, referencing Vice President Kamala Harris. The letter further noted, “Instead of apologizing or clarifying President Biden’s words, the White House instead sought to change them (despite them being recorded on video) by releasing a false transcript. This move appears to be in violation of federal law, including the Presidential Records Act of 1978.”

The letter asserted, “White House staff cannot rewrite the words of the President of the United States to be more politically on message. Though President Biden’s relevance continues to diminish, his words continue to matter, even as they become increasingly divisive and erratic.” It demanded that the White House “retain and preserve all documents and internal communications regarding President Biden’s statement and the release of the inaccurate transcript.”

Former President Donald Trump took advantage of the controversy, campaigning symbolically from a garbage truck.

Additionally, Republican Rep. John Rose of Tennessee voiced that Congress should condemn Biden’s statement, according to Fox News. “President Biden must be condemned for calling millions of Americans who support Donald Trump garbage,” he said. Rose added, “Democrats’ disrespect for half the country’s views and opinions is exactly what is wrong with the leadership of extreme far-left liberals.”