Politics and views in the United States.

House Republicans vote to hold AG Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress. The Senate battles it out over federal protections for in vitro fertilization. North Dakota becomes the first state to impose an age cutoff to run for Congress.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2024 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

And now we come to this impasse with the Attorney General himself who refuses to comply.

House Speaker Mike Johnson rejected claims of hypocrisy in comparisons between Republicans who refused to testify for the January 6th committee and Attorney General Merrick Garland, who declined to turn over audio files of President Joe Biden's interview in his classified documents case.

Johnson insists the situations are different.

If the House Republicans voted to hold Garland in contempt of Congress, it's unlikely the Justice Department, which Garland oversees, will prosecute him.

After President Biden's son, Hunter, was found guilty on all three charges related to the purchase of a gun while being addicted to drugs, the White House hasn't ruled out commuting his sentence.

He could face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a $750,000 fine.

Meanwhile, California Congressman Pete Aguilar says Democrats stand by the justice system.

Hunter Biden sat before a jury of his peers, a verdict was rendered, and House Democrats believe in the rule of law.

Republican Congressman Andy Ogles of Tennessee suggested to Fox News that Hunter Biden's conviction could pave the way for former First Lady Michelle Obama to launch a bid for the White House.

I think it also creates an opening for Democrats to slip someone like Michelle Obama in here.

The Biden family can say, "Hey, we're going to take care of our house, we're going to take care of our son, and then allow Michelle Obama to come in and run."

The former First Lady has expressed repeatedly that she isn't interested in the job and fully supports Joe Biden.

Senate Democrats plan to bring a bill to the floor today to provide federal protections for in vitro fertilization.

While Republicans argue they support IVF, they tried and failed to introduce their own bill Wednesday, which would ban states from access to Medicaid funding if they ban IVF services.

Democratic Senator Patty Murray calls it purely PR.

Every single Republican needs to answer clearly for the record, "Do you want our laws to protect IVF, or do you want laws that say frozen embryos have the same rights as living, breathing human beings?"

You cannot have both.

The Democrats' bill is also expected to fail.

This comes on the heels of the Southern Baptist Convention, the country's largest and most politically influential Protestant denomination, voting to oppose IVF.

The ages of both presidential frontrunners have drawn extra attention, and a North Dakota voters this week embraced setting age limits for members of Congress, although one expert has doubts.

Psychology professor Elizabeth Kensinger is a member of Boston College's research group on aging.

"And in fact, science might suggest that there are some things that an 80-year-old might be doing better than a 60-year-old or a 40-year-old."

She adds this includes being able to see the big picture on major issues and regulating emotions more effectively.

Backers of the age limit say their plan is a common-sense approach in response to public polling that favors such requirements.

I'm Alex Gonzalez for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.