Biden asserts executive privilege over recording of interview with special counsel demanded by House Republicans
Washington — President Biden asserted executive privilege over audio recordings from an investigation into his handling of classified documents, a top Justice Department official revealed in a letter to House committee leaders obtained by CBS News.
The assertion came at the recommendation of the Justice Department, as the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees were slated to move forward with markups of a contempt of Congress resolution against Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday for defying their request for audio recordings from an October 2023 interview with special counsel Robert Hur that came as part of the classified documents case against Mr. Biden.
“While our cooperation with Congress has been extraordinary, we also have a responsibility to safeguard the confidentiality of law enforcement files where disclosure would jeopardize future investigations,” Assistant Attorney General Carlos Uriarte wrote Thursday, “The Attorney General must draw a line that safeguards the Department from improper political influence and protects our principles, our law enforcement work, and the people who carry out that work independently.”
Robert Legare
Source: cbsnews.com