The House Judiciary committee voted to advance a resolution Thursday to hold Mark Zwonitzer, Biden’s ghostwriter, in contempt of congress for his refusal to hand over records related to Special Counsel Hur’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents.
In a party-line vote, the House Judiciary Committee has recommended contempt charges against Mark Zwonitzer, the ghostwriter who collaborated with Biden on his memoirs and was exposed to classified material. This move sets the stage for a potential House floor vote to refer Zwonitzer for criminal contempt.
The recommendation follows a subpoena issued by Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, the committee chair, in March. Jordan sought documents, including audio, video, and transcripts of interviews Zwonitzer conducted with Biden for his 2007 book. Zwonitzer had refused to voluntarily provide these materials.
The investigation into Biden's handling of classified materials began after a February report by special counsel Robert Hur. The report criticized Biden for his sloppy handling of classified information found at his home and former office. Hur's report indicated that Biden shared classified information with Zwonitzer while working on his second book.
Although Hur concluded that criminal charges against Biden were not warranted, prosecutors considered charging Zwonitzer with obstruction of justice. Zwonitzer had destroyed recordings of his interviews with Biden upon learning of the documents investigation. However, Hur noted that Zwonitzer provided “plausible, innocent reasons” for erasing the recordings and cooperated with investigators, making a conviction unlikely.
Republicans argue that a thorough review of Zwonitzer’s access to classified materials is necessary to determine if legislative reforms are needed for the storage, handling, and disclosure of sensitive documents by Executive Branch members.
