No charges were filed against President Joe Biden as a result of the investigation into his handling of classified documents, but Democrats were understandably confused when former special counsel Robert Hur characterised Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” in his report. On Tuesday, Hur testified before Congress to explain his findings.
Members of the House Judiciary Committee were engaged in a heated dispute about the subjective political implications of Hur’s report in the months leading up to the 2024 presidential election, even though Hur was prepared to defend his study by presenting a concrete legal case (or lack thereof).
While Republicans hammered Hur for his decision not to prosecute the president, Democrats slammed him for remarks about Biden’s memory and centred their criticism on Trump and the discrepancies in the classified documents case involving the former president, which resulted in an indictment last year.
The following are key points from the hearing on Tuesday:
Messages from the 2024 campaign in the Hur hearing
At Tuesday’s oversight session, members from both parties had a prominent chance to make political statements against Biden and Trump, the likely presidential nominees for 2024.
Biden was interrogated about his recollection and the confusion between the Egyptian and Mexican presidents was a major theme in the seven-minute news conference that followed the release of Hur’s report, which was fully aired as part of House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan’s opening remarks.
Following Jordan, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jerry Nadler, played a video that was both his and a compilation of Trump’s misrememberings of important facts put together by his staff. One such clip was from last year, when Trump mistakenly claimed that Viktor Orbán, the prime minister of Hungary, was actually the prime minister of Turkey.
That individual can’t possibly avoid being held accountable for his unlawful actions. “An individual who is completely unqualified for a position of authority and who should probably exercise caution when levelling accusations of cognitive decline against others,” Nadler remarked towards the conclusion of the film.
The hearing on Tuesday was completely unrelated to Trump’s memory. Taking testimony from a special counsel who declined to charge Biden for his mishandling of secret material was just one part of the hearing; the other parts involved the 2024 campaign and the impending showdown between Biden and Trump.
Hur makes an honest effort
Hur argued in his opening statement that his investigation proved Biden intentionally kept secret data, but that this proof was insufficient to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
In addition, he addressed the criticisms levelled at him on his decision to mention Biden’s memory condition.
“I was necessary, accurate, and fair” when he assessed the president’s memory’s relevance in the report, Hur stated. What matters most is that my writing reflects my beliefs about the facts and how the jury would understand and weigh those beliefs. My explanation was unfiltered. My criticism of the president was also not unwarranted. To the attorney general, I laid out my reasoning and the choice I had made. So that’s what I had to do.
In 2019, Robert Mueller summarised his conclusions between Trump and Russia, marking the last occasion on which a special counsel testified regarding his investigation into the current president. Hur, who is perhaps 30 years younger than Mueller, gave a more natural performance while staying true to Mueller’s character.
As was the case with Mueller, Hur made pointed comments only on the report’s contents, much to the annoyance of both sides. Outside of the scope of his study, Hur sidestepped GOP efforts to attack Biden on his age. In response to Democratic firebrand Rep. Eric Swalwell’s request that he swear he would not pursue a position in a possible second Trump administration, he remained silent. (“You really would prefer not to be linked to that individual ever again, would you?”) As Swalwell playedfully put it,
In his assault, Hur used both flanks.
There were many points of contention with Hur’s report among lawmakers from both parties.
In response to Hur’s remarks on Biden’s memory failures, other Democrats attacked him, accusing him of being out to hurt Biden’s reelection campaign and making needless attacks.
“Are we to understand that your goal is to ensure President Trump’s reelection so that you can advance your career in politics and possibly hold a position in the Department of Justice?” Democrat from Georgia, Rep. Hank Johnson, stated.
Hur found the suggestion hilarious. I can promise you, Congressman, that I do not have any such ambitions. Furthermore, I can assure you that my job was completely free of party politics.
California Democrat and US Senate candidate Adam Schiff followed up by questioning Hur on the “political firestorm” he had to have anticipated his report would spark.
It was clear to you that a decision was required, Schiff added. A political decision was made there. I should have known better.
“So, you’re basically saying that I should change or remove parts of my explanation or reasoning to the AG for political reasons?” Hur retorted.
When senators from the Republican Party questioned Hur about the lack of charges against Biden, it was because of sensitive documents that were in Biden’s possession.
I just need to apologise, Mr. Hur, but I’m getting on in years whenever I am discovered taking sensitive stuff home. Republican Representative Tom McClintock of California asked, “My memories not so great?” “It is terrifying that you have established this doctrine in our laws.”
“My goal is definitely not to lay out any kind of doctrine,” Hur told the congressman. “I completed a specific task, considered a specific set of evidence, and reached a judgement based on that set of evidence.”
