Robert Hur promised an investigation “fair, impartial and dispassionate” when he was appointed a special prosecutor a year ago to examine whether the American president, Joe Bidenhad improperly handled classified documents before coming to office.
In his final report released this week, Hur cleared Biden of any wrongdoing, but caused a political storm in an election year with his comments about the cognitive abilities of the 81-year-old president, who is seeking re-election.
The special prosecutor’s observations on the “bad memory” of Biden in his report of almost 400 pages were crossed out as “gratuitous and inappropriate” by the White House. The Republicans immediately took advantage of them to affirm that the Democratic president is not “suitable” for the position.
Hur, of Republican leaning, was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in January 2023 to investigate the alleged mishandling of secret material by Biden after serving as vice president (2009-2017) of Barack Obama.
“Stick to the facts”
In announcing the appointment of a veteran of Donald Trump’s administration to handle the sensitive investigation, Garland said he was “confident that Mr. Hur will carry out his responsibilities impartially and urgently.”
“I will carry out the assigned investigation with a fair, impartial and dispassionate trial.”Hur then promised in a statement.
“I intend to stick to the facts quickly and thoroughly, without fear or favor, and I will honor the trust placed in me to perform this service.”he insisted.
A graduate of the prestigious Harvard University and Stanford Law School, Hur worked as a law clerk to former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist.
He was an assistant U.S. attorney in Maryland from 2007 to 2014 and a senior adviser to then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein from 2017 to 2018.
In comments to The Washington Post at the time, Rosenstein welcomed his former aide’s appointment to investigate Biden’s handling of classified documents.
“Rob understands the need to ignore politics and focus on what matters”said. “He is not going to be influenced by partisan political considerations.”
In 2017, Hur was appointed by Trump as the federal prosecutor of Maryland. He was unanimously confirmed by the Senate and served until Biden took office.
In his report released Thursday, Hur said Biden had “voluntarily withheld” classified documents, but “evidence is not enough to accuse him” and no criminal charges should be filed.
Hur also described Biden as a “well-meaning old man with a bad memory”who supposedly was not able to remember when his son Beau, who died of cancer in 2015, died or the dates of his vice presidency.
Biden defended himself, visibly upset, in a surprise appearance before reporters on Thursday.“How the hell dare you?” he said about the possibility of forgetting the death of his eldest son.
“I am well-intentioned, I am an old man and I know what I am doing. I am president and I will put this country back on its feet. (…) My memory is fine”he settled.
Vice President Kamala Harris also attacked Hur’s comments on Friday, calling them “clearly politically motivatede” before the November presidential elections, in which Biden is expected to face Trump once again.
Source: Gestion
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