Attorney General Merrick Garland is facing a deadline set by House Republicans to produce subpoenaed audio recordings of former Special Counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Biden, or risk being held in contempt of Congress. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan have threatened to take further action if Garland does not comply. The Justice Department has withheld additional material, specifically the audio recordings of Hur’s interviews with President Biden, sparking concerns over transparency and accountability within the government.
The Justice Department produced two redacted transcripts of Hur’s interviews with Biden just hours before Hur was scheduled to testify publicly. However, the audio recordings of the interviews were not provided, despite being prioritized by the committees. Mark Zwonitzer, Biden’s ghostwriter for his memoirs “Promise Me, Dad” and “Promises to Keep,” was also subpoenaed to turn over documents and communications related to his work with the president. High-profile claims have been made regarding Biden sharing classified information with Zwonitzer, leading to concerns about potential mishandling of sensitive intelligence and national security documents.
Hur’s report, released last month after months of investigation, details instances where Biden read classified notes to Zwonitzer nearly verbatim, raising questions about the security and confidentiality of the information shared. The report also describes Biden as a sympathetic and well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory, leading to concerns about his ability to handle classified materials appropriately. Despite these revelations, Hur did not recommend criminal charges against Biden for mishandling classified documents, and stated that even if Biden were not in office, he would not pursue charges against him.
During Hur’s testimonies earlier this month, he revealed that Zwonitzer had deleted evidence of his conversations with Biden upon learning of the special counsel’s investigation. This action has raised questions about potential tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice. The ongoing investigation and legal battles between the House Republicans and the Justice Department highlight the complexities of government accountability and transparency, as well as concerns about national security and the protection of classified information. President Biden’s reelection campaign for 2024 may be impacted by the findings in Hur’s report and the questions surrounding his handling of classified materials, as well as the actions of his ghostwriter in relation to this investigation.
