How is the special counsel’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents?

The special counsel report on President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents was released by special counsel Robert Hur.

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

1. Biden’s Mishandling of Classified Materials:
   • The report found that Biden willfully retained classified information, including top secret documents. Some of these materials date back to 2017.
   • FBI agents discovered materials from various locations in Mr. Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware, home, including classified documents related to military and foreign policy in Afghanistan.
   • The report also included photos depicting relevant scenes over the years¹.
2. Evidence Didn’t Support Charging the President:
   • While the investigation revealed that Biden retained and disclosed classified materials after leaving office, the special counsel concluded that the evidence didn’t support prosecuting the president.
   • The primary reason for this determination was that nothing proved a willful intent by Biden to illegally hold onto classified information. The report also considered Biden’s age and memory¹.
3. Biden’s Response and Misspeaking:
   • In response to the report, Biden defended himself against the depiction of him as an elderly man who was absent-minded.
   • However, during his remarks, he misspoke and referred to President of Egypt Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as the “president of Mexico,” which undermined his forceful pushback against the report¹.
4. Political Implications:
   • Congressional Republicans seized on the report, claiming that the decision not to bring criminal charges is evidence of political bias against their party’s likely presidential nominee in 2024.
   • Details about Biden’s memory issues have also led to discussions about his fitness for office¹.

You can read the full special counsel report for more details². The report provides a critical assessment of Biden’s handling of sensitive government materials but ultimately concludes that no criminal charges are warranted.

To amply information:

1 cnn.com

2 pbs.org