Biden uses executive privilege for Hur recordings as requested by Attorney General Garland
The White House recently disclosed that President Biden has asserted executive privilege over audio and video recordings of his interviews with Special Counsel Robert Hur, following a request from Attorney General Merrick Garland. This decision was made to protect the sensitive law enforcement files, as suggested by Garland himself.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated during a media briefing that it was at Garland’s recommendation that the recordings should be safeguarded. Jean-Pierre further mentioned that the president’s determination was made at the attorney general’s behest and redirected additional inquiries to the White House counsel’s office.
Regarding the ongoing investigation, the Department of Justice informed House Republicans that materials subpoenaed from Hur’s probe will not be handed over. This decision came with an explanation from Associate Attorney General Carlos Uriarte, stating that asserting executive privilege shields an official from prosecution for criminal contempt of Congress.
Special Counsel Robert Hur had been leading the inquiry into Biden’s handling of classified documents post his vice presidency under the Obama administration. Even after Hur confirmed in February that no criminal charges would be recommended against Biden, certain findings led to public uproar over Biden’s apparent “cognitive impairment” immunity from prosecution.
Hur’s report mentioned the challenges of convincing a jury to convict Biden of any deliberate wrongdoing, given his age and memory concerns. This sparked considerable backlash, with former President Trump criticizing the perceived double standards in the justice system.
President Biden, in response to Garland’s request, exerted executive privilege over the recordings from his interviews with Special Counsel Hur. Despite accusations of concealing crucial information, the administration maintains that transcripts of the interviews have been available to the public for months.
During a news conference, House Speaker Mike Johnson accused Biden of withholding the tapes out of fear. He alleged that the content of the recordings would align with the Special Counsel’s findings and potentially alarm the American public. However, Jean-Pierre dismissed these claims, emphasizing that the transcripts are already in the public domain for scrutiny.
When questioned about the necessity of protecting the audio and video recordings when the transcripts are accessible, Jean-Pierre reiterated the attorney general’s stance on safeguarding law enforcement files. The decision to assert executive privilege over the recordings was justified as a measure to uphold privacy and confidentiality.
As the Biden administration navigates through the complexities of the investigation and executive privilege assertions, the public remains vigilant for further developments in this ongoing saga.
