Audio recordings in which President Joe Biden acknowledges possessing classified material after leaving his vice presidency have been released by House Republicans. The tapes, featuring interviews between Biden and a ghostwriter for his 2017 memoir "Promise Me, Dad," were handed over for a 2024 Justice Department probe into Biden's handling of records.
In one recording from February 2017, Biden is heard saying, "I just found all the classified stuff downstairs." Another segment from October 2016 includes him telling the ghostwriter, "I have extensive notes over this period of time… They [the White House] didn't know I have this." At that time, Biden was serving as vice president.
Biden's spokesman, TJ Ducklo, stated that the release of the tapes represents "the latest example of this Administration weaponizing the DOJ for political retribution." He added that while President Biden "disagrees with today's decision, he also respects the courts and the vital role an independent judiciary plays in a healthy democracy."
The recordings, which contain significant redactions, were obtained by Special Counsel Robert Hur during his investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents. Hur's investigation concluded that Biden improperly retained records but did not recommend charges, citing concerns about jury perception.
In contrast, former President Donald Trump was charged with illegally retaining documents at his Florida residence. The audio tapes were the subject of a lawsuit filed by Biden's personal lawyers in an effort to keep them private, but they later dropped the suit after facing legal challenges.