Former Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney Robert Hur, who chose not to prosecute President Joe Biden when classified materials were discovered in his Delaware home and former office in Washington, D.C., is set to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. Hur’s decision to associate himself with Republican partisans and individuals connected to former President Donald Trump has sparked concerns among Democrats on the committee.
Multiple sources familiar with Hur’s plans have confirmed that he will officially depart from the Department of Justice on Monday, March 11. This strategic move allows Hur to appear on Capitol Hill as a private citizen, freeing him from the ethical constraints that typically govern federal prosecutors.
According to a source from the Judiciary Committee, Hur’s decision to leave government service the day before his testimony is causing concern for Democrats on the panel. The source stated, “This is a major red flag for us… If he was still a federal employee, the DOJ would have to approve his testimony and be involved in his appearance tomorrow.”
In his preparations for the hearing, Hur has enlisted the help of William Burck, an experienced Washington lawyer with strong connections to the Republican political establishment, to act as his counsel. Burck, a former federal prosecutor and White House official under President George W. Bush, has provided legal representation for various officials from the Trump White House during the Mueller investigation. Additionally, he has been a board member of the Fox Corporation since 2021.
Hur and Burck do not seem to have collaborated directly, but Hur’s endorsement of Burck’s litigation skills on his LinkedIn page suggests some level of professional recognition. A Judiciary Committee source pointed out that both individuals have extensive backgrounds as Republican supporters. For instance, Hur served as the Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General under the Trump administration, while Burck actively worked to prevent Senate Democrats from accessing Bush-era documents pertaining to Justice Kavanaugh.
According to the source, Hur’s legal team has not been very communicative with the Democratic side of the panel leading up to the former special counsel’s testimony. This, along with Hur’s decision to seek advice from former Trump-era DOJ spokesperson Sarah Isgur, has raised concerns among Democrats about his upcoming appearance.
According to Hannah Muldavin, a spokesperson for the Congressional Integrity Project, Hur’s selection of associates indicates that he is aligned with Trump’s team, rather than fulfilling his role as an impartial prosecutor. She criticizes Hur for including unnecessary partisan attacks against the President in his report, despite recommending no criminal charges against Joe Biden. Muldavin also highlights the partisan nature of the individuals enlisted by Hur to assist with his testimony, suggesting that his affiliation with the MAGA movement and his Republican background make him a participant in efforts to support Donald Trump and undermine Joe Biden’s prospects in the 2024 election.
According to an insider, members of the committee have observed Hur’s team and anticipate that he will do everything in his power to undermine Biden politically. “Isgur and Bill Burck’s involvement will assist him in leveraging the report he authored to tarnish the president,” the source revealed.
Republicans, however, view Hur’s testimony as a chance to maintain a focus on Biden’s memory lapse, using the hearing as a prominent platform to revisit the politically detrimental revelations. Committees led by the GOP have requested the Justice Department to provide any transcripts, videos, or audios from Biden’s interview with Hur, during which the president supposedly struggled to remember certain details about his life.
The testimony of former special counsel Robert Mueller has drawn comparisons to the current situation. Both Mueller and Hur did not recommend criminal charges against the sitting president. However, during Mueller’s testimony, top House Republicans dismissed it as a political exercise orchestrated by the Democrats.
