By Trend News Line 2024-02-12 11:00:01.
WASHINGTON — Special Counsel Robert Hur’s nearly 400-page report on the classified documents that President Joe Biden kept after leaving office includes new details on why it’s become commonplace for politicians to end up with sensitive information after they leave their posts. The report also sheds light on why Biden, then a former vice president, shared private information with a ghostwriter, a practice that’s become ubiquitous for high-profile individuals who want to publish a book without actually writing it themselves.
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In total, the report includes an executive summary, 17 chapters, a conclusion, and three appendices, covering a total of 388 pages. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Hur as the special counsel in January 2023; Trump had appointed Hur to lead the prosecutor’s office in Maryland in 2018. He left in 2021 to join the Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher law firm. Hur declined to recommend criminal charges for Biden.
But there are a lot of new details, including about Biden’s memory, that grabbed headlines, so here’s a breakdown of five key points in the report:
- Biden’s memory, ‘superfluous’ commentary: The report states that prosecutors didn’t bring charges against Biden because they believed his poor memory would make him a sympathetic figure to a jury. The report also highlights instances where Biden struggled to remember important events, including the date of his son Beau’s death.
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Reagan precedent: The report notes that Biden is not the first former executive branch official to keep classified materials after leaving office. It cites former President Ronald Reagan, who kept handwritten diaries containing top-secret information at his California home.
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Biden’s ghostwriter conversations: The report details Biden’s use of a ghostwriter and the sensitive information he shared with him. It raises concerns about the security risks of retaining classified material in unsecured locations.
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Deleted then partially recovered evidence: The report reveals that the ghostwriter deleted recordings of conversations with Biden after learning of the special counsel’s appointment. However, the FBI was able to recover most of the deleted audio files.
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Documents found near dog bed, Zappos box: The appendices of the report list the classified documents found in Biden’s office or home. These include a top-secret document discussing Russian aggression toward Ukraine and biographies of unidentified members of a foreign delegation.
Overall, the report provides new insights into the practices and challenges surrounding the handling of classified information by politicians after leaving office. It raises questions about the accountability of former officials and the potential risks to national security..
– Special counsel’s report on Biden and classified documents
– Five big takeaways from the special counsel’s report on Biden and classified documents.
