Staff Reports
President Biden has used executive privilege to protect his interview with special counsel Robert Hur from being handed over to Congress, the Justice Department informed lawmakers on Thursday. The move comes amid a push by Republicans to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to release the audio.
The House Oversight and Accountability Committee and the Judiciary Committee are both expected to hold hearings recommending that the full House refer Garland to the Justice Department for the contempt charges over the department’s refusal to hand over the audio.
In response to Biden’s decision, Garland wrote to the Democratic president, asserting that the audio falls within the scope of executive privilege. He argued that the committee’s needs are not sufficient to outweigh the potential negative impact the release of the recordings could have on similar law enforcement investigations in the future.
White House blocks release of Biden’s special counsel interview audio https://t.co/lYGXLcYbGc pic.twitter.com/SZ7rCBuFQ2
— New York Post (@nypost) May 16, 2024
Assistant Attorney General Carlos Felipe Uriarte urged lawmakers not to move forward with the contempt effort to avoid unnecessary conflict. He emphasized that it has been the longstanding position of the executive branch, held by administrations of both parties, that an official who asserts the president’s claim of executive privilege cannot be held in contempt of Congress.
The White House Counsel also expressed concerns about lawmakers’ efforts to obtain the recording, suggesting that the goal may be to use the audio for partisan political purposes. This reflects a worry that the interview recordings could be distorted and selectively used to paint President Biden in a negative light in an election year.
White House blocks release of Biden’s special counsel interview audio, says GOP is being politicalhttps://t.co/Pf9bM0dk1d
— FOX 12 Oregon (@fox12oregon) May 16, 2024
The transcript of the Hur interview indicated that Biden had difficulty recalling certain dates and details, which some have attributed to his age. At 81 years old, Biden is the oldest-ever president and is seeking reelection. However, the interview also showed deep recall in other areas. Hur’s investigation found some evidence that Biden had disclosed classified information, but it was deemed insufficient for criminal charges.
Overall, the Biden administration’s move to assert executive privilege over the interview audio has sparked a significant clash with Republicans in Congress over the release of the recordings.
