The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Judiciary Committee have taken action by issuing a subpoena to the Department of Justice (DOJ). This subpoena requests materials related to special counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents.
Hur’s report, released on February 8, stopped short of suggesting criminal charges against Biden. However, it indicated that Biden might portray himself as an empathetic, well-intentioned older individual with memory challenges should the matter proceed to court. Additionally, the report disclosed that Biden had shared classified information with his ghostwriter, Mark Zwonitzer, contrary to his public denials.
Reps. James Comer (R-Ky.), chair of the Oversight Committee, and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), chair of the Judiciary, expressed dissatisfaction with the DOJ’s response to their request for specific materials on February 12. In a letter addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland, they stated that the DOJ failed to provide any of the requested material and merely mentioned that they were “working to gather and process” the documents.
The lawmakers emphasized their concerns by mentioning that the Oversight and Judiciary Committees, in collaboration with the Ways and Means Committee, are investigating whether there are grounds for drafting articles of impeachment against President Biden. This investigation is in addition to the ongoing inquiry into the DOJ’s prosecution of former President Donald Trump.
The lawmakers are particularly interested in documents that may shed light on Biden’s family’s foreign business dealings and any sensitive information he may have retained. Of specific interest is a phone call between then-Vice President Biden and then-Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk in December 2015. During this time, Biden called for the firing of Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin, who was investigating Burisma Holdings Ltd., an energy giant on whose board Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, served.
Representative Jordan emphasized the significance of the transcripts and materials from Hur’s investigation, stating they are critical for their oversight work. The DOJ has been given a deadline of March 7 to comply with the subpoena.
This latest development highlights the ongoing political tensions and investigations surrounding President Biden’s handling of classified documents and his family’s international business dealings. As the DOJ responds to the subpoena, it remains to be seen what impact this will have on the political landscape and the future of the Biden administration.
