The White House has asserted executive privilege to prevent the release of audio and video recordings of Special Counsel Robert Hur's interviews with President Biden as part of the classified documents investigation. This action has sparked a legal battle between the House Judiciary Committee, which voted to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt, and the Biden administration.
The White House has invoked executive privilege to block the release of audio and video recordings of Special Counsel Robert Hur's interviews with President Biden as part of the classified documents investigation. This decision has ignited a legal battle between the House Judiciary Committee, which voted to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt, and the Biden administration.
Associate Attorney General Carlos Uriarte asserted in a letter to Reps. Jim Jordan and James Comer, chairmen of the Committee on the Judiciary and Committee on Oversight and Accountability, that "it is the longstanding position of the executive branch held by administrations of both parties that an official who asserts the President’s claim of executive privilege cannot be prosecuted for criminal contempt of Congress."
Hur led the investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents following his departure as vice president under the Obama administration. In February, Hur announced that he would not recommend criminal charges against Biden for possessing classified materials after his vice presidency, citing that Biden is "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory."
The White House has emphasized that Biden asserted privilege at the request of the DOJ. The Judiciary Committee voted to hold Garland in contempt on Thursday afternoon, setting the stage for a potential House floor vote.
This legal battle adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents. Republicans have accused the president of mishandling sensitive information and have criticized the DOJ for not pursuing criminal charges.
Democrats, on the other hand, have defended Biden's actions, arguing that he unintentionally misplaced the documents and did not compromise national security. They have also criticized Republicans for politicizing the investigation.
The White House's assertion of executive privilege is likely to further delay the release of the Hur interview audio, which could provide additional insights into Biden's handling of classified information. The House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed the recordings as part of its own investigation into the matter.
The outcome of this legal battle remains uncertain, but it is likely to have implications for the ongoing investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents and could set a precedent for future cases involving executive privilege.
