WASHINGTON, D.C. – Special counsel Robert Hur has completed his yearlong investigation into President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents while out of office. The report has been released to members of Congress, marking one of the final steps before it is made public. The White House conducted a review of the draft and announced that it would not attempt to withhold any information from the report.
The report focuses on approximately two dozen classified documents that were discovered at Biden’s personal home and office, some of which were marked as “top secret.” Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Hur as special counsel in January of 2023, following the discovery of a batch of documents at the Penn-Biden Center in Washington, D.C. A second set of records was found in the garage of Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware, home, prompting Garland’s decision to bring in Hur.
During the course of the investigation, as many as 100 current and former officials were interviewed, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, and Hunter Biden, the president’s son. President Joe Biden himself was interviewed in October, as authorities attempted to gain insight into the handling of the classified documents.
Sources close to the investigation have reported that instances of carelessness from Biden’s vice presidency were uncovered, although it appeared that the improper removal of classified documents was more likely a mistake than a deliberate act. Throughout the investigation, the White House stressed its cooperation, and President Biden maintained his innocence, stating that he was “surprised” by the existence of the documents.
The Hur investigation has unfolded against the backdrop of special counsel Jack Smith’s inquiry into former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified records. Trump has attempted to draw a parallel between his own circumstances and Biden’s, alleging that the justice system has unfairly targeted Republicans. However, records released by the National Archives have indicated that Biden’s legal team cooperated with officials, while Trump faces a 40-count indictment for deliberately withholding classified records from investigators.