Department of Justice Concludes Investigation into Biden Classified Document Case

The Department of Justice Concludes Investigation on Classified Documents

The Department of Justice has wrapped up its independent investigation into the discovery of classified documents at President Joe Biden's Delaware residence and at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement in Washington, without apparent charges being mentioned. In a letter sent to Congress on Wednesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that the report from Special Counsel Robert Hur did not include specific details about the investigation or any mention of charges. Although the letter did not disclose the content of Hur's report, Garland expressed his commitment to making the bulk of it public, pending a legal privilege review by the White House Counsel's Office.

Appointment of Special Counsel

Garland appointed Hur as special counsel in January 2023 to lead the probe into the classified records found in the garage at Biden's Delaware residence and in files at the Penn Biden Center. This move came about two months after the attorney general had selected former federal prosecutor Jack Smith to investigate the handling of classified documents by former President Donald Trump at his Florida home and other locations. Notably, approximately 300 classified documents were discovered at Trump's residence, while about 20 were found at the Biden-related sites.

Hur and his team interviewed President Biden over two days in October, following which unnamed officials indicated in November that no criminal charges were anticipated in the case. The process of making the majority of Hur's report public is pending the completion of a legal privilege review by the White House Counsel's Office, as confirmed by White House spokesperson Ian Sams, who expects the review to be finalized later this week.

Committed to research

The attorney general's letter affirmed his commitment to transparency and making the report public to the extent possible, considering legal requirements and Department policy. The conclusion of the investigation into the Biden classified document case marks a significant development in this high-profile legal matter.