The US Attorney General appointed a special counsel to examine Joe Biden's handling of sensitive government documents on Thursday evening, following the discovery of a second stash of documents in the president's garage next to his Corvette.
Merrick Garland stated that "extraordinary circumstances" necessitated an independent investigation, which would be overseen by Robert Hur, the former Maryland US attorney chosen by Donald Trump.
Joe Biden Classified Documents Scandal
Biden told White House reporters yesterday that he was "completely participating" in a Justice Department probe into the storage of sensitive material and official documents. On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that the documents had been "inadvertently misplaced."
The discovery, the second this week, was found in Biden's garage in Wilmington, Delaware, adjacent to his beloved 1960 Chevrolet Corvette, by Biden's attorneys. Ten classified documents, including sensitive data about the United Kingdom in the lead-up to Brexit, dating from when he was vice president, were discovered in his office at a Washington think tank.
Garland said that the second batch was discovered on December 20, a month after the first, but knowledge of the discovery was not made public until this week.
The discovery that Biden may have improperly handled secret or presidential materials is a political issue for the 80-year-old, who earlier dubbed former president Donald Trump "irresponsible" for storing hundreds of such records at his Florida private club.
Unprecedentedly, the two potential rivals for the 2024 presidential race now face probes from special prosecutors. New Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, who previously referred to a comparable inquiry against Donald Trump as a political witch hunt, has stated that the Justice Department's treatment of Joe Biden and Donald Trump must be "equal" and has led demands for an official investigation.
The White House Counsel's Office conducted a search of Biden's Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and Wilmington, Delaware, residences this week after the release of the initial papers. After discovering the records in the Wilmington garage, White House attorneys claim they promptly alerted the Department of Justice.
There needs to be evidence as to the content of the documents or if Biden or anybody else read them after he left as vice president. According to the White House, no papers were discovered at Biden's Rehoboth Beach property. The Biden administration has also arranged for the records to be sent to the DOJ.
The Wilmington records are the second cache of secret documents from the Obama administration. The first collection was discovered at the Washington headquarters of the Biden-aligned Penn Biden Center. On Thursday, Biden and Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy argued over the second tranche of documents.
The finding recalls news reports from the previous year that former President Donald Trump kept a cache of confidential materials at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida after leaving office. In the end, the FBI raided his home to seize over 300 classified documents.
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Who Is Rober Hurr?
Garland announced Robert Hur's appointment during a news event. He promised that Hur would be provided with all the resources necessary to investigate Biden. From 2007 through 2014, Hur worked as an assistant US attorney for the District of Maryland. In 2018, then-President Donald Trump chose and confirmed Hur to serve as US attorney for the District of Maryland. In 2021, he quit this role.
Since quitting his role as a top federal law enforcement officer for the District of Maryland in 2021, Hur has been privately practicing law. The response of legislators has varied by the party. The Republicans are seeking explanations about the confidential documents, while a Democrat has indicated that the documents were maybe planted.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) stated Thursday that he does not believe a special counsel is warranted and that Congress will investigate the allegedly mishandled materials. Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) adopted a distinct tone while discussing the secret materials. According to his statement to Fox News reporter Hilary Vaughn, he believes the documents were placed on Biden.
Related Article: Findings About Joe Biden Classified Documents
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