Audio recordings that former President Joe Biden tried to keep out of the public domain for more than two years have finally been released, reigniting debate over his handling of classified documents and his health during the final years of his political life.
According to information published by CBS News, more than two hours of audio are part of the nearly 70 hours of interviews conducted between 2016 and 2017 by writer Mark Zwonitzer, who collaborated with Biden in the preparation of his memoirs 'Promise Me, Dad'. In several fragments, the then-former vice president is heard referring to notes that could contain confidential information.
References to classified material
In one of the audios, Biden warns his writer: "Some of this may be classified... So be careful. I'm not sure... It's not marked as classified, but..."
In another conversation he adds: “The next thing I have here is… this is classified information.”
These comments were cited by special prosecutor Robert Hur in his investigation into the storage of classified documents found in the then-president's private residence and office. Although Hur concluded that there were elements to question the handling of those files, he ultimately decided not to recommend criminal charges.
Hur's report returned to the center of the debate
Hur's report also maintained that Biden had difficulty remembering some events and described his responses as slow at different points in the interviews. In the recordings broadcast by the aforementioned media, prolonged pauses and some forgetfulness can be heard, although the prosecutor himself pointed out that these signals, by themselves, did not demonstrate criminal responsibility.
The publication of the audio was possible after a prolonged legal dispute promoted by the Oversight Project, a conservative organization that requested the files through the Freedom of Information Act. After several court rulings, Biden's legal team chose not to continue with the appeal, allowing the material to come to light.
The former president's spokesman, TJ Ducklo, criticized the decision and stated that the conversations were turned over to the Department of Justice (DOJ) with the expectation that they would remain private.
“The fact that they are now made public is just the latest example of how this Administration instrumentalizes the Department of Justice for political retaliation,” he said in a statement carried by CBS News.
The dissemination of these audios once again places the handling of classified documents in the spotlight, an issue that marked the last years of Biden's presidency and that also involved President Donald Trump.
