Luna wants Garland arrested, Democrats want Luna out

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A local congresswoman wants to penalize U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland for refusing to hand over audio recordings from President Biden’s classified documents case.

“Whether it’s this way or another, we will get those tapes,” said Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who represents Pinellas County on Capitol Hill.

In Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation, Biden was described as an elderly man with poor memory. She now wants to hear the tapes and she wants Americans to listen to them before the election.

“Garland, if he wants to avoid this, let Congress hear the tapes,” Luna said. “You cannot ignore this.”

The House has already voted to hold Garland in contempt of Congress. The DOJ didn’t pursue prosecution. Biden has also used executive privilege to prevent Republicans from accessing the tapes.

“I think this is just another Anna Paulina’s political theatrical stunts,” said Whitney Fox, a Democrat running to unseat Luna.

“The amount of time and taxpayer dollars that have been wasted with the representative, like Anna Paulina Luna, is infuriating and quite embarrassing,” Fox said.

Fox also thinks this push to possibly arrest Garland along with other proposals from the congresswoman will backfire.

“This is really all she knows what to do to get attention and chase headlines,” Fox said. “It doesn’t really address the issues people are facing here in Pinellas County.”

The Democratic hopeful said some of those issues are housing and property insurance.

Political science data shows it’s easier for a Republican to get elected in Congressional District 13, but it’s not a guarantee.

“I think people in St Pete, Florida, and Tampa Bay area are really looking at her and saying ‘why?’” said Tara Newsom, a political science professor at St. Pete College.

Newsom said the congresswoman is appealing to her base to keep her job.

“I think what she’s really doing is saying ‘I’m definitely in line with Donald Trump. I’m in line with the MAGA policies’,” Newsom said. “Congressional District 13 has always been a moderate district. Although there has been redistricting to dilute Democrats’ presence, and we’ve certainly elected Republicans. We haven’t always elected this kind of extreme Republican.”

Luna said other measures in Congress involving the Army Corps of Engineers beach renourishment and helping local veterans will win her another term and keep the district red.

Luna plans to call for a vote Friday regarding Garland if more GOP members return from being absent.

Luna also said if the House approves her resolution, then it’s up to Speaker Mike Johnson to send the House Sergeant at Arms for an arrest, if that’s the penalty.

The democratic hopefuls for District 13 will have a debate in July and then a primary in August.

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