The recently released report by Special Counsel Robert Hur refrains from charging President Joe Biden with any crime but paints a troubling picture of a commander-in-chief seemingly forgetful and negligent in handling highly sensitive classified information, a portrayal that could carry significant political ramifications for Biden.
The report indicates that Biden knowingly retained classified materials, including top-secret documents, as far back as 2017, and even shared some of this information with the ghostwriter of his 2017 memoir.
Despite this, the special counsel opted not to pursue charges against the president, citing insufficient evidence of willful intent to illegally possess classified materials and noting Biden’s cooperation with the investigation.
However, the report does not shy away from discussing Biden’s memory issues, suggesting that his age and forgetfulness played a role in the decision not to prosecute him.
Hur stated that Biden’s presentation to a jury as an elderly man with memory lapses would likely elicit sympathy, a factor considered in the decision-making process.
While Biden’s lawyers contested this characterization, calling it “investigative excess,” it is expected to become fodder for political attacks, especially with the looming 2024 presidential campaign.
Critics are likely to seize on Hur’s findings to question Biden’s fitness for office, particularly in contrast to his likely opponent, Donald Trump, who faces criminal charges related to his handling of classified information.
Hur’s report painstakingly details Biden’s mishandling of classified materials, including their discovery in various locations in Biden’s Wilmington and Delaware homes. The materials encompassed highly sensitive documents pertaining to military and foreign policy matters, some marked at the highest levels of classification.
Despite acknowledging Biden’s actions, Hur’s report emphasizes the lack of evidence to support criminal charges. It highlights Biden’s cooperation with investigators and his subsequent return of the documents, a stark contrast to Trump’s handling of similar situations.
The report underscores that while Biden may have retained and disclosed classified materials, there is no clear indication of willful intent to violate the law.
However, the report suggests plausible scenarios that could explain Biden’s actions, such as the possibility that he forgot about the classified documents after finding them in 2017. Moreover, Biden’s limited memory, as evidenced by his recorded interactions with his ghostwriter, further complicates the case for prosecution.
In response to the report, Biden vehemently rejected Hur’s portrayal of him as a forgetful elderly man, asserting his competence and challenging the report’s conclusions.
However, his impassioned defense was marred by a subsequent gaffe, where he mistakenly referred to the President of Egypt as the “president of Mexico,” undercutting his forceful rebuttal.
Overall, Hur’s report has provided ammunition for political adversaries to question Biden’s suitability for office, highlighting his memory issues and handling of classified information as potential vulnerabilities in the upcoming presidential race.