Biden Claims Executive Privilege in Docs Probe

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Facts

  • In a letter to US House Republicans, US Associate Attorney General Carlos Uriarte said Pres. Joe Biden has 'asserted executive privilege over the requested audio recordings' of special counsel Robert Hur's interviews from the classified documents probe of the president.1
  • This came hours before the House Judiciary Committee, led by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), and House Oversight Committee, led by Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), held a vote over whether to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt for not releasing the audio.2
  • Hur didn't find reason to charge Biden for his handling of classified documents after he left office, but Hur's report described the president as a 'sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.'3
  • Previously, the White House provided the House with written transcripts of interviews with Biden and his ghostwriter.4
  • Comer said his committee will proceed with filing contempt charges against Garland.5
  • Speaking to reporters Thursday, Garland accused the Republicans of 'unprecedented' and 'unfounded' attacks on the US Dept. of Justice (DOJ), referring to the contempt charges as an effort to access 'sensitive law enforcement files.'6

Sources: 1FOX News, 2USA Today, 3wsj.com, 4CNN, 5Oversight and 6ABC News.

Narratives

  • Democratic narrative, as provided by New York Times. In doing former Pres. Donald Trump's bidding, the House GOP is grasping at straws. They couldn't impeach Biden, so they think they can embarrass him with this audio. Garland won't fulfill their ridiculous request and is the man Trump blames for the federal criminal cases against him, so they attempt to impeach Garland. Claiming executive privilege is the only way Biden can stop the GOP's unprecedented political attacks on the DOJ.
  • Republican narrative, as provided by National Review. What's unprecedented in this case is the president's claim of executive privilege when there are no confidential communications to protect — everything said is already available in the transcript. This is the elderly president's way of preventing the public from hearing what he sounds like when he's having cognitive issues. The electorate deserves to hear this with an election just months away.

Predictions