Prosecutor Hur defends his assessment of President Biden's memory

2024-03-12 20:08:20, Kosova & Bota CNA

Former Special Prosecutor Robert Hur is testifying today before the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives, on his report as part of the investigation into the unauthorized retention of secret documents by President Joe Biden.

Former prosecutor Hur, who described President Biden's memory as weak, said the assessment was necessary, accurate and fair.

Former US Special Prosecutor Robert Hur defended his assessment of President Joe Biden, during testimony before members of the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives on the report as part of the investigations into the keeping of secret documents by the 81-year-old president.

In February, Prosecutor Hur published a report in which he said that he has decided not to press charges against Mr. Biden and that it would be difficult for him to be convicted.

Mr. Hur, a former prosecutor appointed by Republican President Donald Trump, after a 15-month investigation described President Biden as a "well-meaning old man with a poor memory."

"The assessment I make in relation to the memory of the president was necessary, accurate and fair. I expressed myself as I saw things. I have not denigrated the president unfairly. I explained to the Attorney General the decision and the reasons why I reached it. This was what was required of me", said Mr. Hur.

According to a transcript of Mr. Hur's interview with Mr. Biden last October, as the president grappled with the aftermath of the Hamas attack on Israel, the president first raised the issue of his memory.

"I'm young, it's not a problem," said Mr. Biden jokingly after Prosecutor Hur told him that he would ask him about events that happened years ago, the report says.

Mr. Hur testifies to Congress a week after Mr. Biden's State of the Union address, an indication of the start of an aggressive campaign for the presidential election to be held in November, which in all likelihood will bring a new showdown between President Biden and the rival his 77 year old, Donald Trump.

Republicans say the way President Biden was tried is evidence of an unequal justice system. In June, former President Trump was sued over secret documents found at his Florida home.

"Joe Biden kept classified information. Joe Biden didn't properly secure classified documents and shared them with people he shouldn't have. He broke the law, and since he's a forgetful old man who seemed well-intentioned to the jury, Mr. Hur decided not to press charges," said Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan, a Republican.

President Biden's administration called Attorney Hur's report politically motivated ahead of the November election.

The Democratic member of the Judiciary Committee, Jerry Nadler, said that the case against President Biden and the process against former President Trump cannot be compared.

"He (Trump) not only refused to turn over the documents for months, but he also obstructed justice by engaging others to destroy evidence and then lie," said Democratic Judiciary Committee member Jerry Nadler, citing prosecutors in the case. to Mr. Trump.

According to prosecutors, Mr. Trump tried to hide the classified documents at his Florida home and discussed with his lawyers how to hide the documents from government authorities. Mr. Trump describes the accusations as politically motivated./ VOA