The Justice Department has informed House Republicans that it currently has no intentions of providing them with an audio recording of President Joe Biden’s interview with former special counsel Robert Hur. This decision comes despite the GOP’s threat to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt if the records are not released.
“We want to emphasize that our efforts at cooperation demonstrate our ongoing commitment to working together for the benefit of the American people,” stated Carlos Uriarte, a senior official from the Department of Justice (DOJ). In a letter addressed to House Judiciary and Oversight chairmen Jim Jordan and James Comer on Monday, Uriarte expressed disappointment in the Committees’ response, which included escalating the situation and issuing threats of criminal contempt.”
Jordan and Comer requested the audio of Biden’s interview after Hur’s report was released in February. The report not only investigated Biden’s handling of classified materials while he was out of office but also revealed embarrassing details about his age and memory lapses.
After a yearlong investigation, Hur ultimately concluded that the case did not warrant any criminal charges. He defended this decision during a hearing on Capitol Hill last month.
When Hur testified before Congress about his report, the administration made the full transcript of Biden’s interview available to the House Judiciary Committee.
Comer and Jordan persisted in their efforts to obtain the audio of the interview from the DOJ, along with the transcript and audio recordings of Hur’s interview with Mark Zwonitzer, Biden’s ghostwriter.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) stated on Monday that they have shared transcripts of Zwonitzer’s interviews with the House. However, they have decided to withhold the audio recordings. Their reasoning is that releasing the audio could discourage future witnesses in special counsel investigations from offering the same level of cooperation as Biden and Zwonitzer did.
Uriarte explained that the Committees have already received the transcripts, which provide the necessary information. She emphasized that going beyond that by producing the audio files would make it less likely for future prosecutors to receive such cooperation.
Uriarte emphasized that obtaining consent for interviews might become more difficult in the future, as it would not be in the public’s best interest to discourage cooperation with prosecutors and investigators.
In a statement, Comer expressed his disagreement with the Department of Justice, asserting that the Biden Administration does not have the authority to dictate what Congress requires for its oversight of the executive branch.
“Why shouldn’t the American people have the opportunity to listen to his actual responses?” Comer questioned.
The committee will provide a formal response in the near future, he announced.
It remains uncertain whether Jordan and Comer will proceed with initiating contempt proceedings against Garland.
During his testimony last month, Hur emphasized the significance of both the transcript and audio of his interview with Biden in guiding his choice not to pursue criminal charges against the president. When questioned by Rep. Jordan about whether Congress should be granted access to audio recordings linked to his report, Hur declined to provide a specific opinion.
According to Hur, the conclusions he drew in his report were not solely based on the transcript but also on other evidence, including the audio recordings.
