Biden sued the Justice Department to prevent release of audio recordings and transcripts from his home interviews with ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer in 2016 and 2017. The recordings and transcripts were obtained by special counsel Robert Hur during an investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents. Biden’s lawyers argued the Justice Department previously claimed the materials were exempt from disclosure under public records law, but plans to release them to Congress and the Heritage Foundation. The lawsuit contends disclosure would invade privacy and that the Department has a responsibility to protect private information obtained through a criminal investigation. Hur’s investigation produced a report questioning Biden’s age and mental competence but recommended no criminal charges due to insufficient evidence.
"Biden’s lawyers said in a lawsuit filed in Washington’s federal court that the Justice Department plans to release the files to Congress and a conservative group, the Heritage Foundation, after the department had previously argued that they were exempt from disclosure under the public records law. Biden’s lawyers argued that the disclosure would “constitute an unwarranted invasion of President Biden’s privacy.”"
"“Every American, including a sitting or former Vice President, has a right to privacy in the personal conversations he has within his own home,” his attorneys wrote. “And when the U.S. Department of Justice obtains that private information through a criminal investigation, the Department bears a particular responsibility to protect it from disclosure.”"
"At issue in the case are audio recordings and transcripts of Biden’s interviews at his home in 2016 and 2017 with Mark Zwonitzer, who worked with Biden on his two memoirs. The files were scrutinized by special counsel Robert Hur as part of his investigation into the president's improper retention of classified documents, from his time as a senator and as vice president."
"Hur's yearlong investigation led to a 345-page report that questioned Biden's age and mental competence but recommended no criminal charges against the then-81-year-old. Hur said he found insufficient evidence to successfully prosecute a case in court. Biden has separately fought the release of the audio of his interview with Hur."
#privacy-rights #public-records-law #classified-documents-investigation #congressional-oversight #executive-privilege
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