WASHINGTON — Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday criticized the White House for attacking his hand-picked special counsel, Robert Hur, for releasing a report that brutally portrayed President Biden as having a mental breakdown. On the other hand, although I tried not to let it get into my eyes, I couldn’t get it out of my head.
Mr. Garland, a former federal judge and unsuccessful Supreme Court nominee, cited Mr. Xu’s “long and distinguished career” when selecting him to investigate Mr. He praised the organization and released the nearly 400-page report in its entirety without supplements. This is similar to what past administrations have done to blunt the special counsel’s findings.
Vice President Kamala Harris led the accusations, calling Mr. Hur “politically motivated,” while White House Counsel’s Office spokesman Ian Sams said that Mr. Hur’s assessment of Mr. Biden’s cognitive abilities was It said it violated the Justice Department’s “norms and policies.”
“The baseless comments in the report are troubling and inappropriate,” Sams said at a regular White House briefing.
“Former Justice Department officials have spoken out about the political implications of his actions, and prosecutors have advised the Department of Justice not to criticize acts and actions that have not been indicted, characteristics that we have historically conducted. It argues that there is a duty of care to follow the policy of the government, as seen in this case.”
Sams cited the ongoing prosecution of former President Donald Trump for allegedly mishandling documents, and argued that the Republican argument that double standards were favoring Democrats was a challenge for the 81-year-old Biden to be interviewed. They argued that Mr Hoare may have been made to write that he was likely to be found not guilty by the jury. The basis of perceived senility.
“We’re in an environment where Republicans in Congress and other Republicans are attacking prosecutors they don’t like, which creates a lot of pressure. “The need arises,” Sams said.
“People are human too, and they think through ‘what needs to be done.’ And, you know, some may wonder why exactly he put so much criticism in there. .”
Mr. Hur served as U.S. Attorney for Maryland from 2018 to 2021 under former President Donald Trump, but the state Two Democratic senators argued that his appointment. Mr. Hur is also a close ally of former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, whom President Trump frequently attacked during his term.
Sams told reporters that a letter issued by the White House Office of Counsel regarding Heo’s report “deems some of the comments and statements made in the report to be in violation of Department of Justice standards and policies.” He pointed out that he had mentioned that
Sams dodged a question about Garland’s role in the story when CNN reporter MJ Lee asked: Norms?
“I think the president actually answered this question last night,” Sams said, adding that the president “expressed his views on appointing a special counsel, but I don’t have anything beyond what the president said.” No,” he added.
In a heated press conference Thursday night, Biden supported the appointment of a special counsel but said he disagreed with the assessment of Xu’s mental state because his “memory is fine.”
Mr. Garland’s disappearance comes after Republicans targeted him for helping special counsel Jack Smith prosecute Mr. Trump, 77, twice, while allowing Mr. Biden to be released without charge.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) tweeted that Garland would have to choose between prosecuting Biden or invoking the 25th Amendment to remove him from office.
“Merrick Garland has an obligation to invoke the 25th Amendment against his fellow Cabinet members. Or prosecute Biden. If not, invoke the 25th now.” Holly wrote.
Garland made the decision in August to appoint another special prosecutor, Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss, to prosecute his eldest son, Hunter Biden, on tax and gun charges — Hunter was 7. After declining a probation-only plea deal in September — his relationship with the White House had previously been strained. .
The attorney general promoted Weiss after an IRS whistleblower accused the DA’s office of perjury that he had the ability to prosecute Hunter Biden outside of Delaware. Biden-appointed U.S. attorneys in Los Angeles and Washington later acknowledged that they had refused to work with Weiss.
The special counsel’s investigation is running in tandem with a multifaceted impeachment inquiry by House Republicans, which said Biden was involved in many of his son and brother’s lucrative business relationships overseas during and immediately after his vice presidency. The focus is on the Justice Department’s cover-up to protect Joe and Biden. Hunter Biden from the survey.
