House Panel Recommends Holding Blinken in Contempt

Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday recommended holding Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken in contempt of Congress for failing to testify in their investigation of the chaotic U.S. exit from Afghanistan, in what Democrats charged was a political stunt ahead of the election.

The committee’s party-line vote came just days before the House was set to disband for the campaign trail and as Mr. Blinken was in New York, participating in high-level diplomatic meetings during the United Nations General Assembly.

It is one of two expected Afghanistan-related moves in the House this week. The full chamber is also expected to vote on a resolution condemning 15 senior members of the Biden administration — including President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Mr. Blinken — for their roles in the withdrawal.

Representative Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas and the committee’s chairman, said he was forced to pursue contempt charges after Mr. Blinken declined for months to commit to a September date to give testimony.

But Democrats said Mr. McCaul’s insistence on a September appearance was politically motivated and accused Republicans of trying to damage the Biden administration at the height of a critical campaign season.

“Why is there suddenly a rush to hold this contempt vote, when the secretary has made it very clear, time and time again, that he is willing to testify?” asked Representative Gregory W. Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the panel. “One reason: politics.”

House Republicans have stepped up their attacks on the Biden administration over the U.S. departure from Afghanistan as it becomes an issue on the campaign trail. Former President Donald J. Trump has blamed Ms. Harris for the deaths of 13 U.S. service members during the evacuation. Ms. Harris has accused Mr. Trump of trying to exploit the casualties for political gain, criticizing him for taking campaign photos and video at Arlington National Cemetery.

This month, Republicans on the panel released a 353-page report accusing the “Biden-Harris administration” of bumbling the withdrawal. It largely absolved Mr. Trump of any responsibility, though his administration reached the agreement with the Taliban committing the United States to a timeline for its departure.

Days before the report was released, Mr. McCaul issued a subpoena for Mr. Blinken’s testimony, ordering him to appear before the panel on Sept. 19. Mr. Blinken ended up being in Egypt that day. So on Sept. 18, Mr. McCaul issued a superseding subpoena, ordering Mr. Blinken to appear on Tuesday — the same day Mr. Biden was set to deliver a speech to the U.N. General Assembly.

“I believe you would agree U.S. representation at the highest levels in these engagements is essential,” Mr. Blinken wrote to Mr. McCaul in a letter dated Sunday and obtained by The New York Times. He added that he was “profoundly disappointed you have once again chosen to send me a subpoena and threaten contempt, rather than engage with me through the constitutionally mandated accommodation process.”

In a follow-up letter dated Monday and also obtained by The Times, Naz Durakoglu, the assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs, said the Justice Department had concluded that Mr. Blinken could not be compelled to abandon his diplomatic duties at the United Nations to comply with the panel’s subpoena.

“As a matter of law,” she wrote, “the secretary may not be punished by civil or criminal means for failing to appear at the scheduled hearing.”

But the Republicans on the panel were not swayed by such appeals.

“Secretary Blinken is hiding at the United Nations General Assembly in New York,” said Representative Jim Baird, Republican of Indiana.

Other G.O.P. lawmakers recommended that House members take matters into their own hands.

“I recommend the use of inherent contempt,” said Representative Keith Self, Republican of Texas, referring to the House’s power to fine or imprison people who flout congressional subpoenas, without relying on the Justice Department to bring charges. While the House has not invoked inherent contempt in almost a century, House Republicans tried and failed to impose a $10,000-per-day fine on Attorney General Merrick B. Garland this summer.

It is unclear when the House might vote on a contempt resolution for Mr. Blinken. Earlier this year, the chamber voted to recommend that Mr. Garland be held in contempt of Congress and to impeach Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary.

The committee issued two previous subpoenas to Mr. Blinken for documents in the course of its Afghanistan investigation.

Edward Wong contributed reporting.