Former special counsel Robert Hur testified Tuesday that he “did not exonerate” President Biden in a report detailing his investigation into mishandling of classified records, repeatedly shutting down Democratic lawmakers’ characterizations.
Mr. Hsu, who resigned as special counsel after releasing a report that found Mr. Biden knowingly kept secret records but did not prosecute, testified publicly on Tuesday.
Special Counsel Robert Hur and President Joe Biden. (Getty Images)
Mr. Huh testifies that he has “identified evidence” that Mr. Biden’s motives for keeping secret records were “pride and money.”
The Democratic Party took advantage of the fact that Mr. Huh did not press charges against the president, claiming that he completely exonerated him.
Representative Jerry Nadler (D.N.Y.) stands on the House floor on Friday, January 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
“President Biden acted responsibly, cooperated fully, and the decision to decline criminal charges was relatively easy,” Rep. Jerry Nadler (New York), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said Tuesday morning. ” he said. “This report represents a complete and utter exoneration of President Biden.”
“The special counsel will exonerate President Biden,” Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said Tuesday.
U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., also said that Mr. Ha had “exonerated himself.”
But Mr. Xu pushed back.
“I didn’t exonerate him,” Herr told Jayapal. “That word doesn’t appear in my report.”
Asked about Mr. Nadler and Mr. Raskin’s categorization of his report as “innocent,” Mr. Hur fired back again.
“That’s not what my report is about,” Hoare testified.
Rep. Jayapal defended immigrants in a recent hearing.
Mr. Huh testifies that Mr. Biden “intentionally retained classified materials,” and prosecutors “had no choice but to take into account” his mental state.
When asked again whether his report was a “total and complete exoneration”, Mr Hoare insisted: “That’s not what the report says.”
When asked if the ranking members’ statements were wrong, Mr. Xu answered, “That’s right.”
“The word exoneration does not appear anywhere in my report, and that is not my conclusion,” Xu said.
Later, Mr. Xu testified again that his report “does not prove complete innocence.”
Mr. Xu explained the reason on Tuesday. did not press charges Despite knowingly keeping classified records on military and foreign policy in Afghanistan and other countries, among other records related to national security and foreign policy, the president was labeled as a “confidential intelligence source.” Hoare said.
“My team and I conducted a thorough, independent investigation,” Hoare testified. “We have identified evidence that the president knowingly retained classified material after he finished his vice presidency and when he was a civilian.”
This image from the Special Council Robert Hur investigation released by the Department of Justice on Thursday, February 8, 2024, shows a box inside Joe Biden’s garage containing classified Afghanistan documents from December 21, 2022. It is shown. (U.S. Department of Justice)
“This evidence included a recorded conversation in which Mr. Biden told the ghostwriter, “I found all the classified information downstairs.” When Mr. Biden said this, he It was a private citizen talking to a ghostwriter in a privately rented house,” Herr continued. “We also identified other recorded conversations in which Mr. Biden read classified information to a ghostwriter.”
However, he added, “However, we were unable to identify any evidence that rose to the level of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Because the evidence fell below that standard, we declined to recommend criminal charges against Mr. Biden.”
However, Mr. Xu said, “I need to explain the reason” for refusing to prosecute.
“We had to consider the president’s memory and overall mental state and how a jury would perceive the president’s memory and mental state in a criminal trial,” Hoare testified. “These are the kinds of issues that prosecutors analyze every day. And because these issues were important to my final decision, I needed to include a discussion of those issues in my report to the attorney general.” had.”
Special counsel calls Biden a “sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” and declines indictment
In his report, Hoar described Biden as a “sympathetic and well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory,” a description that raises serious concerns about Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign. .
President Biden listens to questions during a press conference in the East Room of the White House on January 19, 2022 in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
“The evidence and the president’s own memory are squarely in question. We interviewed the president and asked him about his taped statement that he said, ‘I found all the classified stuff downstairs.'” He told the ghostwriter He told us he didn’t remember saying that,” Hoa said. “He also said he had no recollection of finding any classified material in his home after becoming vice president, and that he had no recollection of how classified documents about Afghanistan ended up in his garage. He said that he had not done so.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Mr. Xu defended himself by saying that the report’s assessment of the relevance of the president’s memory was necessary, accurate and fair.
“Most importantly, what I wrote is what I believe the evidence shows and what I hope the jury will recognize and believe. I have sanitized the explanation. “I didn’t mean that. I didn’t unfairly disrespect the president,” Huh testified. “I explained my decision and the reasons for it to the attorney general. That’s what was required of me.”
