In a significant development during an ongoing lawsuit, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has disclosed the existence of 117 pages of transcribed discussions between President Joe Biden and his ghostwriter, Mark Zwonitzer. These records are part of the Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents prior to his presidency.
The lawsuit, filed by the conservative government transparency group, the Oversight Project, seeks to compel the DOJ to release these and other records. The DOJ’s recent revelation adds a new layer of complexity to the case. Kyle Brosnan, counsel for the Oversight Project, emphasized the importance of these transcripts, which detail conversations between Biden and Zwonitzer that reportedly included discussions about classified material. Brosnan noted that these transcripts were instrumental in Special Counsel Hur’s conclusion that Biden was a “well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.”
This disclosure is particularly relevant to the memoir “Promise Me, Dad,” which Zwonitzer assisted Biden with and was published in 2017. The existence of these transcripts had not been previously confirmed, and their discovery has sparked renewed debates about transparency and Biden’s competency.
The Oversight Project and the DOJ are currently negotiating how to handle the newly discovered materials. Brosnan pointed out that there are over 70 hours of recordings between Biden and Zwonitzer, which will take significant time for the DOJ to review and process.
The broader legal battle revolves around the DOJ’s use of executive privilege to withhold these and other records. The Biden administration has cited a 2008 memo from former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, which protects White House communications, as part of its defense. However, Brosnan suggested that this argument may be undermined by the details emerging from the newly revealed transcripts.
As the case progresses, these revelations could have substantial implications for both the lawsuit and public understanding of President Biden’s handling of classified information.
