At Garland’s request, Biden has invoked executive privilege over the audio of his two-day interview with the special counsel investigating his handling of classified documents, the Justice Department informed Congress on Thursday.
The House Judiciary and Oversight Committees are considering holding Garland in contempt after he refused their subpoenas for the recordings. While the Justice Department has provided transcripts, it has not released the audio of Biden’s interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur. Hur’s investigation concluded that Biden mishandled classified materials but did not warrant criminal charges.
In his report, Hur depicted Biden as a “sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory,” which has fueled ongoing questions about his age as he seeks re-election. The recordings could potentially offer Republicans additional material to question Biden’s mental fitness.
A White House lawyer, in a separate letter, informed lawmakers that Biden asserted the privilege at Garland’s request and described the contempt threat against Garland as a political maneuver.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
