The Department of Justice provided access to a number of documents and other investigative materials to House Republicans related to President Joe Biden‘s classified documents case, with negotiations underway to receive further access.
The DOJ fulfilled a request to Republican lawmakers seeking access to documents related to special counsel Robert Hur‘s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents, particularly the interview Hur conducted with the president himself. Although Republicans say they received a “small production,” investigators did not gain full access to the requested transcripts and audio they say is crucial for their impeachment inquiry.
“Our staff has all necessary clearances to review the contents of the President’s interview, which dealt with materials found in unsecured areas like garages, closets, and commercial office space,” a Judiciary Committee spokesman said in a statement. “We are evaluating next steps.”
In the letter sent to House Republicans on Thursday, the DOJ offered access to classified information through “in camera production in a facility appropriate,” according to an excerpt of the letter obtained by the Washington Examiner.
The documents being offered for review include a “call sheet setting forth the purpose of a call between the Ukrainian Prime Minister and Mr. Biden and talking points” as well as “documents the substance of that call in the format of a non-verbatim transcript.” Both of these documents were included in a request from House Republicans earlier this year.
However, negotiations to review or obtain more material appear to be ongoing. A GOP aide familiar with the matter told the Washington Examiner that Republicans “are confident they will get access to the transcript.”
The access comes after the House Oversight and Judiciary committees issued a subpoena demanding the DOJ turn over all documents related to the special counsel’s interviews with Biden as well as the ghostwriter of the president’s memoir, Mark Zwonitzer.
The subpoena also requested documents related to a phone call between Biden, who was vice president at the time, and the Ukrainian prime minister in December 2015. All communications between the Justice Department, special counsel, the White House, and the president’s personal attorney were also requested in the subpoena.
Hur’s investigation found evidence that the president mishandled classified documents during his time as vice president but did not suggest bringing criminal charges. The report did, however, paint a “dim” picture of Biden, saying he was “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
“Mr. Biden’s memory was significantly limited, both during his recorded interviews with a ghostwriter in 2017, and in his interview with our office in 2023,” according to the report.
The DOJ responded to the subpoena on Feb. 16 and stated the department was “working to gather and process” the requested documents by the Thursday deadline.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Reps. James Comer (R-KY) and Jim Jordan (R-OH) said they requested the documents “to understand whether the White House or President Biden’s personal attorneys placed any limitations or scoping restrictions during the interviews with Special Counsel Hur or Mr. Mark Zwonitzer.”
Hur is scheduled to testify to the Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
Ashley Oliver contributed to this report.
