According to three separate sources close to the matter, NBC News reports that the federal investigation into President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents seems to be far from completion. This contrasts with the soon-to-be-concluded probes into former Vice President Mike Pence and former President Donald Trump.
President Biden's team reportedly agreed to an interview with the special counsel investigating his handling of classified information but under the condition that his legal team and the Justice Department accept the terms. Nonetheless, NBC News indicated that President Biden has not yet been interviewed, implying that the investigation is incomplete. Typically, the central figure of any investigation gets interviewed towards the end of the probe.
NBC News reported that even as the inquiry continues, the Special Counsel has yet to interview President Biden-- a crucial step often taken towards the end of the investigation. Biden's advisers are waiting for him to agree to an interview, should the Special Counsel ask for one. They have reviewed how past Presidents have tackled similar situations and realize that there is no avoiding such interviews.
Bob Bauer, Biden's personal lawyer, declined to comment on the current situation. The White House also refrained from commenting, referring questions to the Department of Justice in light of the ongoing investigation. Special Counsel Robert Hur, leading the Biden inquiry, similarly opted not to comment.
NBC News reported that even as the inquiry continues, the Special Counsel has yet to interview President Biden-- a crucial step often taken towards the end of the investigation. Biden's advisers are waiting for him to agree to an interview, should the Special Counsel ask for one. They have reviewed how past Presidents have tackled similar situations and realize that there is no avoiding such interviews.
Bob Bauer, Biden's personal lawyer, declined to comment on the current situation. The White House also refrained from commenting, referring questions to the Department of Justice in light of the ongoing investigation. Special Counsel Robert Hur, leading the Biden inquiry, similarly opted not to comment.
After the discovery of confidential Obama administration records in the President's former Washington, D.C. office and Wilmington, Delaware home, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Hur as a special counsel.
Earlier this year, President Biden made an announcement that he was fully cooperating with the Department of Justice's inquiry.
Vice President Pence granted an interview to federal investigators to discuss his handling of confidential data as part of this cooperation, which ultimately resulted in his recent exoneration.
The former President, Trump, is facing 37 accusations, including 31 counts of breaking the Espionage Act. The allegations stem from an investigation by special counsel, Jack Smith, into Trump's handling of secret materials during his presidency.
The former President, Trump, is facing 37 accusations, including 31 counts of breaking the Espionage Act. The allegations stem from an investigation by special counsel, Jack Smith, into Trump's handling of secret materials during his presidency.
On Friday, the Department of Justice unveiled a comprehensive 49-page indictment describing the charges against Trump. The document reveals that Trump stored boxes of sensitive information in multiple locations throughout his home in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. These locations included his office, bedroom, a bathroom with a shower and a storage area.
Trump has attempted to draw comparisons between how he handled confidential information and the inquiries into Pence and Biden. Despite his efforts, the gravity of the accusations against him cannot be disregarded.
Biden's situation differs vastly from Trump's, as his advisers claim. Upon the discovery of private documents at his office, the current president promptly surrendered them to the government and granted federal agents permission to search his homes for additional items. In contrast, the FBI had to obtain a warrant to obtain records from Trump, after several failed attempts.
Biden's situation differs vastly from Trump's, as his advisers claim. Upon the discovery of private documents at his office, the current president promptly surrendered them to the government and granted federal agents permission to search his homes for additional items. In contrast, the FBI had to obtain a warrant to obtain records from Trump, after several failed attempts.
To complicate matters further, sources suggest that Biden had privileged access to more confidential information than Pence. The FBI also obtained a significant number of notebooks that Biden accumulated over his vice presidential tenure, which they planned to examine as part of their investigation.
However, according to two reliable sources, Biden's advisers were upset that Garland assigned a special counsel for Biden's case in an effort to show that the current and previous presidents receive similar treatment, but no special counsel was chosen for the probe involving Pence.
One person with knowledge of the situation said that Biden's aides expressed frustration in private conversations about the Justice Department's decision to end the investigation into Pence with a finding of no wrongdoing just days before the former vice president was expected to announce his bid for the Republican presidential nomination to oppose Biden in 2024.
Trump wrote in all caps on his social media account, Truth Social, after his attorneys and Justice Department representatives met on Monday: "How can DOJ possibly charge me, who did nothing wrong, when no other presidents were charged, when Joe Biden won't be charged for anything." He called the probe into how he handled top-secret information "the biggest witch hunt of all time."
Based on their recollections of former FBI Director James Comey's comparable public statement regarding Hillary Clinton's handling of classified information during the 2016 presidential campaign, Biden advisors have privately expressed concern that Special Counsel Hur, as part of his mandate, may clear Biden of any wrongdoing but publicly criticize him for being clumsy or careless in his handling of classified materials.
However, according to two reliable sources, Biden's advisers were upset that Garland assigned a special counsel for Biden's case in an effort to show that the current and previous presidents receive similar treatment, but no special counsel was chosen for the probe involving Pence.
One person with knowledge of the situation said that Biden's aides expressed frustration in private conversations about the Justice Department's decision to end the investigation into Pence with a finding of no wrongdoing just days before the former vice president was expected to announce his bid for the Republican presidential nomination to oppose Biden in 2024.
Trump wrote in all caps on his social media account, Truth Social, after his attorneys and Justice Department representatives met on Monday: "How can DOJ possibly charge me, who did nothing wrong, when no other presidents were charged, when Joe Biden won't be charged for anything." He called the probe into how he handled top-secret information "the biggest witch hunt of all time."
Based on their recollections of former FBI Director James Comey's comparable public statement regarding Hillary Clinton's handling of classified information during the 2016 presidential campaign, Biden advisors have privately expressed concern that Special Counsel Hur, as part of his mandate, may clear Biden of any wrongdoing but publicly criticize him for being clumsy or careless in his handling of classified materials.
