President Joe Biden has exerted executive privilege over the audio recording of his interview with special counsel Robert Hur regarding the handling of classified documents. This move aims to prevent House Republicans from obtaining tapes where Biden reportedly exhibited “poor memory.” Republicans from the House Oversight Committee and House Judiciary Committee had requested Attorney General Merrick Garland to hand over the recording. However, the White House rejected the demand, stating that Biden was following Garland’s advice to deny access to the tapes. Garland, in a letter to the president, asserted that the audio recordings fell within the scope of executive privilege. This decision not only prevents Congress from accessing the recordings but also shields Garland from potential criminal contempt of Congress charges.
The assertion of executive privilege aligns with actions taken by previous administrations, including those of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. Assistant Attorney General Carlos Uriarte informed Republican committee chairs that the plan to hold Garland in contempt of Congress would lack legal validity. He cited the longstanding position of the executive branch that an official asserting the President’s claim of executive privilege cannot be prosecuted for contempt of Congress. Despite this, Republicans are likely to argue that the decision is politically motivated, a sentiment echoed by the White House.
Joe Biden is invoking Executive Privilege to ensure his Robert Hur Interview never becomes public. Hur once refused to say if Biden had the mental capacity to be POTUS. It’s pretty obvious that Biden sounds like an idiot on the Hur tapes.
pic.twitter.com/10U94DxI5g— Charles R Downs (@TheCharlesDowns) May 16, 2024
White House counsel Edward Siskel criticized the committee chairs for turning investigations against the president into a spectacle and undermining the independence of the Department of Justice. Siskel emphasized that executive privilege was not invoked over the release of Hur’s report to Congress, and the special counsel was allowed to testify before committees. The report raised concerns about Biden’s memory and handling of classified materials, but it did not recommend criminal charges as it found no evidence of willful mishandling of classified materials.
Republicans have been pushing for the recording despite having the transcript of Biden’s interview, with hopes of using the audio content for political purposes. However, Siskel argued that the transcripts and written materials already provided fulfill the committee’s needs. He criticized the lack of a legitimate legislative purpose for the audio recordings, suggesting that the intention might be to manipulate them for partisan gain.
Overall, Biden’s assertion of executive privilege over the audio recording of his interview with special counsel Robert Hur reflects a continuation of previous administrations’ actions. It aims to prevent Congress from accessing potentially damaging tapes and shield Attorney General Merrick Garland from contempt charges. Republicans may continue to criticize the decision as politically motivated, but the White House maintains that it is protecting sensitive law enforcement materials from manipulation for partisan purposes.
Major Points
- President Biden has asserted executive privilege over the audio recording of his interview with special counsel Robert Hur regarding classified documents.
- This decision aims to prevent House Republicans from obtaining tapes where Biden reportedly showed “poor memory.”
- Attorney General Merrick Garland supported Biden’s decision, stating that the recordings fell within the scope of executive privilege.
- The White House rejected demands from Republican committees to hand over the recording, citing concerns about politicizing sensitive law enforcement materials.
- Republicans may argue that the decision is politically motivated, but the White House maintains that it is protecting the integrity of the Department of Justice.
Written by TL Holcomb – Reprinted With Permission of Whatfinger News
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