President Biden’s Attorney Raises Concerns Over Special Counsel’s Report on His Memory
President Joe Biden’s personal attorney, Bob Bauer, has expressed his concerns regarding what he perceives as derogatory remarks about the President’s memory in the special counsel’s report. Bauer appeared on CBS’ Face the Nation on Sunday, describing the report as a “shabby work product” that had gone off the rails. The special counsel was investigating allegations of mishandling classified documents during Biden’s time as vice president and senator. However, the report concluded that no criminal charges were warranted.
A key point of contention for Bauer was the inclusion of comments regarding Biden’s memory lapses. The report highlighted instances where the President’s memory faltered, including his recollection of his son Beau’s death. This particular reference angered Biden, who has been open about his grief over his son’s passing. In response to the report, Biden questioned how the investigators dared to raise such personal matters, stating that he considered it none of their business.
Biden’s age has been a topic of concern for voters, prompting Democrats to defend his ability to serve as commander in chief. They aim to discredit those who portray him as feeble and unfit for office. First lady Jill Biden even penned a letter to donors, questioning whether these comments were politically motivated. The letter generated substantial donations for Biden’s campaign.
Bauer, who is married to Biden’s top White House aide Anita Dunn, raised objections to the inclusion of these personal details with both the special counsel and Attorney General Merrick Garland. He argued that it violated Justice Department norms, which aim to prevent prejudicing the public against individuals who are not charged with a crime. However, his appeal was unsuccessful.
Former Trump Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein defended the report on CNN’s “State of the Union,” arguing that criminal investigations often uncover unfavorable information that is not typically publicized. He expressed his support for keeping such information sealed in Department of Justice files.
During the investigation, President Biden sat down with investigators for several hours, coinciding with the October 7th attack on Israel by Hamas. Biden maintained that he truthfully answered the questions to the best of his knowledge. Bauer contended that the report failed to include moments where the President deconstructed the investigators’ questions and when the special counsel acknowledged that events being discussed were from many years ago, advising Biden to provide his best recollection.
Bauer accused the special counsel of selectively choosing which references to include in a misleading manner. He also suggested that political pressure influenced the Justice Department, which is currently prosecuting former President Donald Trump for withholding classified documents and his alleged involvement in the January 6th Capitol violence. Bauer questioned whether the special counsel reached a predetermined legal conclusion to appease a certain political constituency, considering the attacks Republicans have launched against the law enforcement process.
The Justice Department has yet to respond to these criticisms.
