Attorneys Complain About Violation of Department Policy
Attorneys for President Joe Biden attempted to have language critical of his age and memory removed from a report published by special counsel Robert Hur. However, the Justice Department rejected their efforts, according to sources confirmed by ABC News. The correspondence, which was first reported by the New York Times, revealed that Biden’s attorneys wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland on February 7, complaining that the report’s details about the president’s recollections during an interview violated department policy and practice.
Justice Department Defends Inclusion of Critical Language
In response to the attorneys’ complaint, senior Justice Department official Bradley Weinsheimer stated that the identified language was included to explain Special Counsel Hur’s conclusions about the president’s state of mind regarding classified information. Weinsheimer argued that the language was not intended to criticize or demean the president. He emphasized that it was relevant to the report’s findings.
The Damning Characterizations in the Special Counsel’s Report
The special counsel’s 388-page report contained damning characterizations of President Biden’s mental acuity. It described him as an “elderly man with a poor memory” who struggled to recall significant details, such as when he finished his term as vice president and when his son, Beau, passed away. Despite these characterizations, the report concluded that no criminal charges were warranted. It also revealed evidence that Biden had retained and disclosed classified information after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen.
Political Fallout and Public Perception
Critics of President Biden seized on the special counsel’s findings to attack his fitness for office. A recent ABC News/Ipsos poll showed that a majority of Americans believe Biden is too old to serve another term, further fueling the political controversy surrounding his presidency.
Disagreement Over Department Policy and Practice
Following the report’s release, Biden’s attorneys responded to the Justice Department, expressing their disagreement with the assessment that the report’s comments aligned with department policy and practice. They emphasized that the comments were not consistent with those standards.
Biden Responds to the Report
President Biden himself pushed back against the details in the report, asserting that he knows “what the hell” he is doing. Speaking to reporters at the White House on the night of the report’s release, Biden defended his mental abilities.
Upcoming Testimony and Requests for Records
Special Counsel Hur is scheduled to testify about the report before Congress on March 12. This comes after House Republicans requested his testimony, as well as audio recordings and transcripts related to his probe.
