Joe Biden has taken legal action against the Justice Department, seeking to prevent the release of audio recordings and transcripts from interviews he had with his ghostwriter. This comes as part of an investigation into how he handled classified documents.
Biden’s legal team filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington, claiming that the Justice Department intends to share these recordings with Congress and the Heritage Foundation, a conservative organization. Previously, the department had stated these materials were not subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act.
The lawsuit argues that this release would be “an unwarranted invasion of President Biden’s privacy.”
The lawyers emphasized that all Americans, including former vice presidents, deserve privacy in their personal conversations, particularly within their homes. They expressed that if the Justice Department obtains such private information through a criminal probe, it bears a duty to safeguard it.
The recordings and transcripts in question were taken during interviews at Biden’s home in 2016 and 2017 with Mark Zwonitzer, the co-author of Biden’s two memoirs.
These materials were examined by Special Counsel Robert Herr as part of the broader investigation concerning the improper storage of classified documents from Biden’s time as a senator and vice president.
The yearlong investigation led to a 345-page report that raised questions about Biden’s age and mental sharpness but did not recommend any criminal charges against the now 81-year-old. The findings indicated there wasn’t enough evidence to pursue a case in court.
In a related matter, Biden has also contested the release of audio from his interview with another investigator, Mr. Xu. In 2024, the House of Representatives voted to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt for not disclosing the audio, even as the White House invoked executive privilege to keep it protected.
That same year, a transcript from a lengthy five-hour meeting Biden had with federal prosecutors was made public.
While Biden asserts his seriousness regarding classified information, records reveal he sometimes provided unclear details and was not used to maintaining thorough documentation concerning certain classified documents.
On the Republican side, there’s been a narrative suggesting Biden received the green light from his own Justice Department, while they claim that Trump is being unjustly targeted by prosecutors. Conversely, Democrats have pointed out Biden’s willingness to cooperate with the investigation, contrasting this with a separate case against Trump, who is accused of not returning classified materials he retained at his Florida estate.
