Staff Reports
In April, the Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice for the audio recording of President Biden’s interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur. This interview was conducted during the DOJ’s investigation into the president’s handling of classified documents. Even before President Biden officially blocked the release of the recording, the Heritage Foundation had taken legal action to obtain it.
The Lawsuit That Could Get the Audio From Biden's Special Counsel Interview Released
https://t.co/OuxzJvNdRJ— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 16, 2024
Recently, President Biden announced that he would use executive privilege to prevent the release of the audio recording. This decision has intensified the legal efforts by the Heritage Foundation to obtain the tapes. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has ordered an expedited briefing schedule for the lawyers from both the Heritage Foundation and the Biden administration, despite the objections raised by the Justice Department.
The Oversight Project’s Executive Director, Mike Howell, has criticized the DOJ for refusing to turn over the audio tape, stating that it is in the interest of the American people to hear President Biden’s voice in an official criminal interview. Heritage Foundation argues that the American people have the right to hear for themselves the interview that led Special Counsel Hur to express concerns about President Biden’s mental faculties and his fitness to stand trial.
The Heritage Foundation is not the only entity seeking the release of the audio recording. Media outfits such as CNN, ABC News, the Associated Press, Bloomberg News, CBS News, and others have also taken legal action to obtain the recording. Members of Congress have issued subpoenas for the audio, but Attorney General Merrick Garland has defied these subpoenas, potentially leading to contempt of Congress charges.
Despite already released transcripts of Biden’s interview, those seeking the release of the audio argue that it will provide more context and lend credence to Special Counsel Hur’s conclusion about Biden’s fitness to stand trial. The White House has insisted that President Biden is fit to serve, which has raised questions about their strong opposition to the release of the audio. Some observers suggest that the administration’s resistance implies that the contents of the recording may be more concerning than what is already known from the transcript.
Heritage Foundation’s Mike Howell stated that the release of the audio will likely be due to the organization’s lawsuit, suggesting that the Biden administration may be trying to conceal information that they believe could be damaging. This ongoing legal battle will ultimately determine whether the audio recording of President Biden’s interview will be made public.
