President Joe Biden, in over five hours of interviews with a special counsel, reiterated that he never intended to keep classified information after his vice presidency. However, he sometimes struggled with dates and wasn't always clear about the paper trail for sensitive documents he handled.
The Associated Press got a hold of a transcript of Biden's interviews, which were being given to Congress by the Justice Department. This happened just hours before the special counsel, Robert Hur, was set to appear before the House Judiciary Committee to answer questions about his investigation into the president.
Hur's report concluded that Biden shouldn't face criminal charges for mishandling documents but did criticize the president's age and competence. Despite this, Hur defended his assessment of Biden's memory as accurate and fair.
During his interviews, Biden seemed unsure about some details, but the full transcript could challenge Hur's portrayal of the 81-year-old president as having significant memory limitations. The interviews offer a more detailed picture of Biden's discussions with prosecutors, filling in gaps left by Hur's summary.
Hur's report focused on why he didn't think the evidence against Biden warranted criminal charges, partly based on their interviews. Hur emphasized the need to explain his decision thoroughly, considering the high-profile nature of the investigation.
Hur noted that proving beyond a reasonable doubt that Biden intended to keep the documents was challenging, especially given his age and the possibility of innocent explanations for any mishandling.
In the interviews, Biden maintained he didn't know how classified documents ended up at his home and office but said he would have returned them if he had known. He also claimed ownership of his personal diaries, which officials said contained classified information.
The transcript provided insights into Biden's personal life, including his humor, his fondness for his Corvette, and his interest in home construction. It also shed light on the presidency's demands and international crises he faced.
Biden's memory was called into question, particularly regarding the timing of his son Beau's death. However, the transcript suggests Biden's recollection during emotional remarks was inaccurate, and Hur never specifically asked about Beau's death in his interviews.
Overall, the transcript and Hur's report aimed to clarify doubts about Biden's handling of classified information, though their impact on public perception remained uncertain.
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