AG Garland names special counsel to investigate Biden’s classified documents [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel on Thursday to investigate the classified documents found at President Joe Biden’s former office and at his home.
• Garland made the announcement hours after the White House revealed a second set of classified documents was discovered at Biden’s home in Wilmington, Delaware.
• Hur is a former U.S. attorney in Maryland who served as a principal associate deputy attorney general during the Trump administration.

Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday announced the appointment of a special counsel to investigate President Biden’s handling of classified documents while he was still vice president.

Garland tapped Robert Hur, a former U.S. attorney, to lead the investigation. The Department of Justice escalated it to a special counsel investigation after a second batch of classified documents was discovered at Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware, home.

The first documents were discovered inside the Penn Biden Center think tank in Washington.

“Earlier today, I signed an order appointing Robert Hur a special counsel for the matter I have just described,” Garland said Thursday.

“The document authorizes him to investigate whether any person or entity violated the law in connection with this matter. The special counsel will not be subject to the day-to-day supervision of any official of the department, but he must comply with the regulations, procedures and policies of the department.”

Hur worked in the DOJ’s criminal division handling counterterrorism, corporate fraud, and appellate matters. Hur is a former U.S. attorney in Maryland and also served as a principal associate deputy attorney general during the Trump administration.

“I am confident that Mr. Hur will carry out his responsibility in an even-handed and urgent manner and in accordance with the highest traditions of this department,” Garland added.

The White House Counsel’s Office searched Biden’s two homes in Rehoboth Beach and Wilmington, Delaware, this week after the first batch of documents were found.

According to the White House lawyers, they immediately contacted the DOJ when they found the documents inside the Wilmington garage. It’s still unclear what the documents contain or whether Biden or anyone else read them after he left the Obama administration in 2016.

No documents were found at Biden’s residence in Rehoboth Beach.

Biden on Thursday sparred with Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy over the second stash of documents.

“Classified documents next to your Corvette? What were you thinking?” Doocy asked.

“I’m going to get the chance to speak on all of this, God willing it’ll be soon, but I said earlier this week — and by the way my Corvette is in a locked garage. It’s not like it’s sitting out in the street,” Biden replied.

Biden added, “we’re cooperating fully and completely with the Justice Department’s review.”

Last year, the FBI raided former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate and found some 300 classified documents.

Source: USA Today