The Justice Department, under President Joe Biden, failed to meet the congressional deadline to provide the transcript of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s interview regarding the President’s “diminished memory.” If released as requested by the impeachment inquiry, the interview could aid Congress in understanding the extent of Biden’s cognitive decline and provide insight into his suitability for the presidency. Hur characterized the President as an “aged man with a weak memory” in a report concerning Biden’s mishandling of classified documents.
- The House Oversight Committee requested the transcript on February 12 and set a deadline of February 19 to respond.
- Biden has the power to immediately declassify the material.
🚨BREAKING🚨
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) February 12, 2024
We are giving the Justice Department until February 19 at 5p to produce the transcript of President Biden’s interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur and other documents included in the report that relate to our impeachment inquiry.
Americans deserve transparency… pic.twitter.com/JtVZ2LY3nz
According to a report from The Hill, the White House was undecided last week about whether to release the tape and transcript to the American public. This was despite the White House counsel’s claim that the report’s portrayal of President Biden’s memory was “unnecessary” and “politically driven,” essentially suggesting it was inaccurate.
It seems that any denial of the report’s conclusions would require the release of the audio from the deposition and an unedited transcript. However, White House spokesperson Ian Sams mentioned that President Biden would consider releasing only an edited transcript.
The establishment media’s response to Hur’s report was noteworthy. They defended President Biden’s “poor” memory by arguing that his health is “sharp” and that any suggestion to the contrary is “ageist” and a “conspiracy theory” from right-wing media.
According to a Harvard/Harris survey from December, about one-third of Democrats question Biden’s mental acuity. Another poll revealed that a whopping 82 percent of Americans have concerns about his physical and mental well-being.
