Justice Department declined to oversee search at Biden’s residences: Report
Jack Birle
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The Justice Department reportedly considered accompanying President Joe Biden‘s lawyers as they searched his residences but declined to do so.
Officials believed joining in the search would complicate the investigation’s later stages. They also cited trust in the Biden team as a reason to avoid tagging along, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.
HOUSE WILL LOOK AT BIDEN AND TRUMP CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS, ACCORDING TO MCCARTHY
The Justice Department’s treatment of Biden’s alleged mishandling of classified documents differs greatly from their treatment of allegedly mishandled classified documents by former President Donald Trump.
Trump’s team had been in contact with the National Archives, but talks between them deteriorated and lead to the FBI raiding the former president’s residence at Mar-a-Lago. They found classified documents in the search. Officials believed Trump’s team had not been honest when they claimed they had turned over all documents that were property of the federal government.
Biden’s lawyer originally disclosed the finding of classified documents from Biden’s time as vice president at the Penn Biden Center to the National Archives in November 2022. There were several follow-up communications about additional classified documents found at his Wilmington, Delaware, residence.
In both Trump’s and Biden’s cases, Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed special counsels to investigate the alleged mishandling of the classified documents.
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Garland appointed Jack Smith as special counsel to investigate Trump in November 2022, shortly after Trump announced his 2024 presidential candidacy. Smith will also handle other investigations against Trump, including his role in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
Robert Hur was appointed by Garland to probe the Biden classified documents case last week.