Special Counsel Robert Hur to Testify Before Congress on Biden’s Handling of Classified Documents
Special Counsel Robert Hur, who was tasked with investigating President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents, is scheduled to testify before Congress in March. The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee will hear Mr. Hur’s testimony on March 12, according to US media reports.
The news comes after Mr. Hur released a 345-page report that raised concerns about the president’s memory and mental fitness. This report sparked a strong reaction from President Biden, who defended his capabilities, saying, “I know what the hell I’m doing. I’ve been president and I put this country back on its feet. I don’t need his recommendation.”
House Republicans have expressed their intention to question Mr. Hur about his comments on the president’s memory. Additionally, they have requested recordings and transcripts of Mr. Hur’s interviews with President Biden, which were conducted during his year-long investigation.
The report, published by the US Justice Department last week, stated that President Biden would not face criminal charges for “willfully” retaining and disclosing classified materials as a private citizen. However, the report’s most significant revelation revolved around Mr. Hur’s reasoning for not prosecuting the 81-year-old president: his memory. Mr. Hur wrote that a jury would likely view President Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” rather than someone who committed a crime. This characterization has become one of the major issues in President Biden’s re-election campaign and has drawn criticism from the president himself, his allies, and his attorneys.
Prior to the release of Mr. Hur’s report, White House Counsel Ed Siskel sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland accusing the special counsel of violating the Justice Department’s policies by commenting on President Biden’s mental capacity. The letter, written on February 7 and reported on Thursday by Politico and the New York Times, claimed that Mr. Hur’s report went beyond noting the president’s lack of memory for specific facts and made allegations about his general memory, which served no law enforcement purpose.
The White House has not responded to requests for comment on the matter.
Mr. Hur’s report was the result of a year-long inquiry into President Biden’s handling of classified documents during his time as vice-president. The investigation included interviews with the president himself. The special counsel concluded that President Biden had “willfully” retained classified files after leaving the vice-presidency in 2017. However, he acknowledged that securing a conviction would be challenging due to the president’s age, mental fitness, and demeanor. In support of his findings, Mr. Hur cited specific instances that President Biden and his allies considered deeply personal. For example, he highlighted the president’s inability to recall the exact timing of his son Beau’s death within several years.
This report has fueled criticism from some Republicans who question President Biden’s mental capabilities and age as he seeks a second term in the White House. On the other hand, Democrats have accused Mr. Hur of political bias, noting that he is a Republican who was previously chosen by former President Donald Trump for the role of US attorney for the District of Maryland.
In response to the report, President Biden held an impromptu press conference, vehemently asserting, “My memory is fine.” He expressed his outrage at the claim that he could not remember when his son died, stating, “How the hell dare he raise that?”
The upcoming congressional testimony by Special Counsel Robert Hur promises to shed further light on the investigation into President Biden’s handling of classified documents. It remains to be seen how this testimony will impact public perception and the ongoing discourse surrounding the president’s memory and mental fitness.
