By Steve Neavling
Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to investigate the discovery of classified documents at President Biden’s home in Delaware and a think tank office in Washington D.C.
Robert Hur will oversee the probe after the White House confirmed that a second batch of classified documents were found in Biden’s garage and an adjacent room.
The documents were turned over to the National Archives.
Hur’s role is to investigate “possible unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or other records,” the Justice Department said.
In a prepared statement, Biden told reporters he plans to fully cooperate with the investigation, Reuters reports.
“As I said earlier this week, people know I take classified documents, classified material seriously. I also said we’re cooperating fully and completely with the Justice Department’s review,” Biden said.
In a statement, Hur said he will handle the investigation “with fair, impartial, and dispassionate judgment.”
“I intend to follow the facts swiftly and thoroughly, without fear or favor, and will honor the trust placed in me to perform this service,” Hur said.
Hur, who most recently was in private law practice in Washington, served as U.S. attorney in Maryland from 2018 to 2021. He also served as assistant U.S. attorney in Maryland from 2007 to 2014 and principal associate deputy attorney general from 2017 to 2018.
In November, Garland named a special counsel, Jack Smith, to oversee the DOJ’s investigations of Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents.
