House Republicans have launched an investigation into the White House’s handling of a recent comment by President Joe Biden, where he referred to supporters of President Donald Trump as “garbage.” GOP lawmakers allege that the White House’s official transcript of Biden’s remarks was altered to downplay the president’s language, potentially violating federal law.

House GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) sent a letter to White House Counsel Edward Siskel on Wednesday, expressing their concern. They claim that the White House’s decision to release an edited version of Biden’s remarks was politically motivated and aimed at minimizing backlash. “Instead of apologizing or clarifying President Biden’s words, the White House instead sought to change them,” the letter states.

“No one is above the law, not even the President of the United States” – Kamala

The White House just broke the law by altering the transcript of Biden’s garbage comment.

.@KamalaHarris I assume you will call for an investigation and prosecute those responsible, right? pic.twitter.com/evg0no2TaB

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 1, 2024

According to the video, Biden commented, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters,” while criticizing what he described as Trump’s “demonization of Latinos.” However, the official White House transcript presents Biden’s words as, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporter’s — his — his demonization of Latinos.” The wording change has raised questions over the White House’s transparency and adherence to the Presidential Records Act of 1978.

Stefanik and Comer argue that editing the transcript to fit a political message undermines the White House’s duty to provide accurate public records. “White House staff cannot rewrite the words of the President of the United States,” they said, demanding the preservation of all related documents and communications and calling for the release of a corrected transcript.

Journalist Michael Shellenberger voiced similar concerns, noting that altering an official transcript could violate the Presidential Records Act. Shellenberger questioned why the White House would modify the language when the video clearly shows Biden’s original remarks.

This investigation comes as Republicans continue to scrutinize the Biden administration’s actions, particularly when they believe transparency is at stake. With both parties watching closely, this case could spark broader debates about how presidential records are handled and preserved.