Following an extensive investigation into Joe Biden’s mishandling of classified national security documents, Department of Justice Special Counsel Robert Hur announced that he will not pursue criminal charges.
Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Hur last year after Biden’s legal team informed the federal government that he illegally possessed classified materials from his tenure as vice president.
According to the report, Biden “willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen.”
“He knew he kept classified information in notebooks stored in his house and he knew he was not allowed to do so,” Hur stated.
Yet, Hur has decided against bringing criminal charges against Biden.
However, the special counsel’s rationale for not pursuing charges doesn’t favor the White House resident.
Hur pointed to Biden’s advanced age and poor memory as factors influencing the decision not to prosecute.
“We have also considered that, at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” the report stated.
“An Elderly Man With A Poor Memory” | A Tribute to The President of the United States pic.twitter.com/4fSWKlOnDQ
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) February 9, 2024
As stated in the 388-page report, Biden was found to have difficulty remembering when he served as vice president.
The report noted significant limitations in Biden’s memory.
🚨 JUST IN: The special counsel in the Biden classified document case says that Biden has “significant memory issues”
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 8, 2024
"He did not remember when he was vice president. He did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died"
Are you freaking kidding me? What the… pic.twitter.com/Cum60onyp7
From CNBC:
“We conclude that no criminal charges are warranted in this matter,” the report said. “We reach the same conclusion even if Department of Justice policy did not foreclose criminal charges against a sitting president.”
The special counsel said that Biden had shared some classified information with his ghostwriter for his second memoir, “Promise Me, Dad,” published in 2017, which Hur said did not appear to contain any classified information. The report also said there was no evidence that Biden shared classified material with foreign nationals.
Hur was blunt in detailing lapses in Biden’s memory when he was interviewed for the probe.
“In his interview with our office, Mr. Biden’s memory was worse,” [Hurg] wrote.
