Garland defends himself against attacks on the Justice Department.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, who is facing a vote in Congress on contempt of court, will take a hard line against Republicans in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. He will accuse his critics of trying to undermine the rule of law, spread “conspiracy theories” and spread untruths, according to his prepared speech.

The usually mild-mannered Mr. Garland is expected to deny the false allegation that the Justice Department was somehow behind the prosecution and subsequent conviction of former President Donald J. Trump on state charges.

“This conspiracy theory is an attack on the judicial process itself,” he is expected to say in his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.

The committee and the House Oversight Committee last month recommended that Mr. Garland be held in contempt of court for refusing to release audio recordings of interviews that Robert K. Hur, the special counsel, conducted with President Biden last year. Mr. Hur ultimately cleared Mr. Biden of criminal wrongdoing related to the retention of classified information, although he faulted his memory and handling of sensitive documents. In contrast, prosecutors accused Mr. Trump of compromising national security secrets by hoarding government records at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

“Some members of this committee and the Oversight Committee are seeking contempt of court to obtain – without any legitimate purpose – sensitive law enforcement information that could compromise the integrity of future investigations,” Garland is expected to say, arguing that the recordings could be altered and used in pro-Trump political ads.

“I will not be intimidated,” he continued in his prepared remarks. “And the Department of Justice will not be intimidated.”

Last month, President Biden invoked executive privilege to deny House Republicans access to the records, condemning their actions as a political ploy with devastating consequences for federal law enforcement.

This happened two months after a transcript was released.

The move was designed to protect the department and Garland from prosecution if House Republicans vote to contempt him. A full House vote has not yet been scheduled.

Mr Garland said at the time that the Republican attempt was the latest in a “series of unprecedented and, frankly, baseless attacks” on the department and the rule of law.

On Tuesday, Garland is expected to tell Republicans that these efforts have fueled “heinous” threats against “individual career agents” and prosecutors.

“These attacks have not and will not influence our decision-making,” he is expected to say.