Attorney General Merrick Garland announced on Wednesday that the special counsel investigation concerning classified documents discovered at President Joe Biden’s residences has concluded without the expectation of any charges.
Garland informed House and Senate leaders that Special Counsel Robert Hur finalized his investigation and submitted the report to the Justice Department earlier in the week. While a White House privilege review is still ongoing, Garland assured that the Justice Department will strive to make “as much of the special counsel’s report public as possible.”
Upon completion of the White House review, the Department of Justice intends to furnish members of Congress with the report, its appendices, and Hur’s letter.
President Joe Biden (Credits: GOBankingRates)
The inquiry primarily revolves around Biden’s retention of classified materials during his tenure as vice president and after his departure from office in January 2017. Allegedly, Biden mistakenly held onto these documents instead of returning them to the National Archives and Records Administration, as reported by CBS News.
These classified documents were initially stored in two units and later found in a private office utilized by Biden. Additionally, some documents were discovered in boxes within Biden’s garage at his residence in Wilmington, Delaware. Despite searches conducted at Biden’s Rehoboth Beach house in Delaware and at the University of Delaware, no further documents were uncovered.
Furthermore, an additional 10 classified documents were found at the Penn-Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement in Washington, D.C. Subsequently, Garland appointed Hur to investigate Biden’s management of classified documents in January 2023, as reported by ABC News.
These classified documents originate from Biden’s tenure as vice president under President Barack Obama, with several marked as “top secret.”
Hur’s investigation encompassed interviews with approximately 100 former and current White House and governmental employees. Additionally, Hur interviewed Hunter Biden and spent two days interviewing the president himself.
Biden has publicly expressed surprise upon learning about the presence of classified documents in his possession and has denied any violation of federal laws.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump faces indictments on 40 counts of unlawfully possessing classified documents. Trump has pleaded not guilty to these charges and has accused Justice Department officials of unfairly targeting Republicans.
Officials from the National Archives noted that Biden and his legal representatives cooperated with the search for missing classified documents. In contrast, they stated that Trump and his representatives intentionally withheld classified documents from investigators and the FBI.
