Biden documents hearing: Special counsel defends not charging president, but says he was not exonerated
Ex-special counsel Robert Hur testified before the House Judiciary Committee.
Robert Hur, who as special counsel conducted the yearlong probe into President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents that ultimately absolved the president of legal culpability, faced questions Tuesday from members of the House Judiciary Committee.
Hur, who was previously nominated by then-President Donald Trump as U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland, wrote in his 388-page report published last month that he would not recommend charges against President Biden despite uncovering evidence that Biden "willfully retained" classified materials.
In the course of explaining his rationale for that conclusion, Hur said that a potential jury would likely find Biden to be a "sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory."
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Hur scheduled to appear at 10 a.m. ET
Former special counsel Robert Hur is scheduled to appear before the House Judiciary Committee at 10 a.m. ET.
Republicans on the committee summoned him to testify in a public setting to examine the findings of his yearlong probe. The panel also subpoenaed the Justice Department for recordings, transcripts, notes, and other documents pertinent to the investigation.
Hur's report said investigators searching Biden's home found documents marked classified from as far back as the 1970s -- but that he would not recommend charges against the president, saying the "evidence does not establish Mr. Biden's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt."
'I did not exonerate him,' Hur says of Biden
In a notable exchange, Hur took issue with Democrats' characterization that his report cleared President Biden of criminal wrongdoing, testifying that he "did not exonerate him."
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., questioning Hur about his report, stated that the "lengthy, expensive and independent investigation resulted in a complete exoneration of President Joe Biden."
Hur, looking to correct Jayapal's characterization, responded by saying, "I need to go back and make sure that I take note of a word that you use: Exoneration," he said. "That is not a word I used in the report and not part of my task--"
Jayapal then jumped in and began speaking over Hur, as she tried to argue that Hur's report indeed did "exonerate" Biden.
But Hur again pushed back, quickly replying: "I did not exonerate him, that word does not appear in the report."