President Biden has asserted executive privilege over audio and video recordings of his interviews with Special Counsel Robert Hur concerning the investigation into his handling of classified documents. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that Attorney General Merrick Garland had suggested that law enforcement files like these needed to be protected, and President Biden made the determination at Garland’s request. The Department of Justice informed House Republicans that they would not turn over subpoenaed materials from Hur’s investigation, citing the executive privilege. It is stated that the executive branch’s longstanding position is that an official asserting the President’s claim of executive privilege cannot be prosecuted for criminal contempt of Congress.
Robert Hur led the investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents, ultimately deciding not to recommend criminal charges due to Biden’s age and memory issues. This decision led to widespread outrage as many believed it indicated that Biden was too cognitively impaired to be charged with a crime but could still serve as president. Former President Trump criticized the perceived discrepancy in treatment, calling it evidence of a “sick and corrupt, two-tiered system of justice.” Despite this, President Biden has maintained that his handling of the situation was proper and ethical.
House Speaker Mike Johnson accused President Biden of being afraid to release the tapes of his interviews with Hur, suggesting that they confirm what the Special Counsel found and would be alarming to the public. However, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted that the transcripts of Biden’s interview with Hur have been publicly available for months, allowing the public to hear directly from the president. She stated that the Attorney General had made it clear that law enforcement files needed to be protected, leading to the decision to assert executive privilege over the audio and video recordings.
President Biden met with Robert Hur for approximately five hours to discuss his handling of classified documents, during which he was questioned on the matter. Despite concerns raised by House Republicans and critics, the White House has stood firm in its decision to assert executive privilege over the recordings of Biden’s interviews. The decision has raised questions about why the audio and video must be protected when the transcript has already been released, with Jean-Pierre referring to the Attorney General and the president for justification. The ongoing dispute over the handling of the recordings continues to draw attention and criticism from various quarters.
