Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee have released audio recordings featuring former President Joe Biden, which they contend reveal instances of poor memory and difficulty forming coherent sentences. The tapes were made by Mark Zwonitzer, the ghostwriter for Biden's 2017 book "Promise Me, Dad."
The Justice Department obtained these recordings during its probe into Biden's handling of classified documents from 2023 to 2024. While transcripts of these discussions were published in 2024, the audio had not been previously shared in full. The special counsel report from that investigation, authored by Robert Hur, had previously raised questions about Biden's mental acuity, describing him as a "sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory" and noting his "diminished faculties in advancing age."
In one segment of the released audio, Zwonitzer prompts Biden about major topics, suggesting, "Iraq, Central America, and Ukraine." After a significant pause, Biden responds with a disjointed mention of a discussion with Kevin McCarthy, who was then considering a House leadership role. Biden then diverges into a lengthy monologue about energy infrastructure.
Another section of the tapes features Biden struggling to recall details of a previously discussed subject, stating, "It's confusing me," before an assistant redirects the conversation. Zwonitzer himself admitted to deleting the audio files during the investigation, citing fears of being hacked.
The recordings, made in 2016 and 2017 when Biden was vice president, were intended to remain private. However, a legal battle initiated by the conservative Heritage Foundation with the Department of Justice sought their public disclosure. A panel of judges ruled against Biden's effort to keep the tapes hidden, citing "substantial" public interest. While one judge dissented, arguing the conversations occurred in Biden's home and the investigation did not result in an indictment, the majority decision allowed for the audio to be released. The ruling was stayed pending potential further appeals.
Biden was not criminally charged in connection with the classified documents found in his garage and private office. The special counsel's report noted that evidence included a recorded conversation where Biden stated he had "found all the classified stuff downstairs."
Biden announced earlier this month that he is set to release another memoir, titled "Promise Me, America," later this year. The legal proceedings surrounding the release of the audio tapes involved arguments that the recordings were obtained by the government during a criminal investigation that did not lead to an indictment, while opponents cited significant public interest in the documents.