House Republicans believe there is far more to the interview between the Special Counsel investigators who talked to Joe Biden about the classified documents found in his offices and home.
They are now seeking the audio of the interview, but the Department of Justice (DOJ) is refusing to hand it over, possibly bringing about contempt charges being filed by the House committees making the request.
Talking Points…
- Biden's Special Counsel Interview
- DOJ not cooperating
- Analysis
When the initial report came out of Biden's special counsel interview, it was less than flattering for the Biden White House. Special Counsel Robert Hur stated that they were not going to press charges against Biden for a variety of reasons, one that included:
"We have also considered that, at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.
"Based on our direct interactions with and observations of him, he is someone for whom many jurors will want to identify reasonable doubt. It would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him — by then a former president well into his eighties — of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness."
Hur also referred to Biden's ghostwriter, who had to "painfully" drag details out of Biden for this book, as Biden was "struggling" to remember events, including the details of his son, Beau's death. Biden initially pushed back on that, but the transcript proved that Biden introduced Beau Biden to the conversation, not the Special Counsel.
After seeing the transcript, the House committees investigating Joe Biden's possible impeachment wanted to hear the actual audio. There is only so much you can interpret from the written word, and the audio would give them a better idea of how much Biden was struggling to answer these questions.
Attorney General Merrick Garland knows that if that audio is turned over to the House, those tapes will be published for public consumption almost immediately, which is why he is refusing to turn them over. This is all about protecting Biden during the election when Garland knew if people heard those tapes, it would hurt Biden significantly, whose mental capabilities are already being questioned by the American people.
So, after numerous requests from House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), Garland's office announced that it would not cooperate on this front. Assistant Attorney General Carlos Uriarte responded to their request, stating:
"The Department is concerned that the Committees' particular focus on continuing to demand information that is cumulative of information we already gave you — what the President and Mr. Hur's team said in the interview indicates that the Committees' interests may not be in receiving information in service of legitimate oversight or investigatory functions, but to serve political purposes that should have no role in the treatment of law enforcement files."
Comer addressed the refusal by the DOJ on Monday, responding:
"The Biden Administration does not get to determine what Congress needs and does not need for its oversight of the executive branch. It's curious the Biden Administration is refusing to release the audio of President Biden's interview with the Special Counsel after releasing the transcript.
"Why shouldn't the American people be able to hear the actual audio of his answers? The American people demand transparency from their leaders, not obstruction."
Now that the DOJ has refused, Comer and Jordan have stated their respective "committees will consider taking further action, such as the invocation of contempt of Congress proceedings." The argument that these tapes will be politicized is moot, in my opinion, because everything that comes out of DC these days is politicized. The American people have a right to hear those tapes to form their own opinions about Biden's mental state. This is a blatant coverup by Garland and the DOJ to protect Joe Biden, so these committees must press forward until they get their hands on those tapes and can play them for the American people to judge on their own.
