Hur defends description of Biden's 'poor memory'
Former special counsel Robert Hur defended disparaging remarks made about Biden's age in his report
What happened
Former special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents, defended disparaging remarks about Biden's age and mental sharpness included in his report. Hur angered Democrats by concluding that jurors would see Biden as a "well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory" and acquit him.
Who said what
"I could not simply announce that I recommended no criminal charges and leave it at that," Hur told the House Judiciary Committee. "It was a political choice," said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). "It was the wrong choice." Republicans said Hur let Biden off the hook.
The commentary
In newly released interview transcripts, Biden does not appear "as absent-minded as Hur has made him out to be" in his report, said Matt Viser at The Washington Post.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
The White House knows the "political damage has already been done" by Hur's report, The New York Times said, and "Tuesday's hearing may do little other than amplify it — a reality that Republicans were clearly aware of when they invited him to testify."
