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☆ D.N.C. Helped Pay Biden’s Legal Bills in Special Counsel Investigation
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Reid J. Epstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Even as some of President Biden’s top campaign officials were attacking Donald J. Trump’s campaign for soliciting donations to pay his legal fees, the Biden-aligned Democratic National Committee was helping pay for lawyers in the special counsel investigation into Mr. Biden’s handling of classified documents. has directed at least $1.7 million to lawyers since July to cover the president’s representation in the documents inquiry, a figure that pales in comparison to Mr. Trump’s use of supporters’ donations to pay his hefty legal fees. The former president has spent more than $100 million on legal bills since leaving office, relying almost entirely on donations. Federal Election Commission records show that since the investigation began last year, the D.N.C. has paid $1.05 million to Bob Bauer, the president’s lawyer.

Persons: Biden’s, Donald J, Bob Bauer, Jennifer Miller, Biden, ”, —, Axios, Barack Obama Organizations: Biden, Democratic, Committee, Commission Locations: Boston

☆ FBI interview transcript reveals how Trump aide characterized boxes at Mar-a-Lago to investigators
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Tierney Sneed | Holmes Lybrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The transcript of an FBI interview made public late Thursday details how an aide to former President Donald Trump characterized the boxes of sensitive documents that are now at the center of the special counsel’s case into the mishandling of classified documents from the Trump White House. For much of the May 2022 interview, Nauta describes the layout of Mar-a-Lago, what he claimed to know about where boxes of Trump’s items from the White House were stored and his assessment of what was in the boxes. Nauta has been charged with conspiring to conceal documents as well as lying to the FBI in his interview about the location and movement of boxes of documents at Mar-a-Lago. According to the transcript, investigators at one point in the interview ask Nauta whether he was aware of Trump showing a document with classified markings to people while on a plane. So that’s kind of the reason why we’re looking into this.”Nauta denied telling Trump that he was sitting for the interview, and according to the transcript, Nauta said he told Trump that he was going for a run.

Persons: Donald Trump, Walt Nauta, Nauta, Trump, Aileen Cannon, Jack Smith’s, we’ve, ” Nauta Organizations: CNN, FBI, Trump White House, Mar, Trump

☆ Witnesses in Trump classified documents case will remain secret, federal judge orders
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Katelyn Polantz | Hannah Rabinowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A federal judge decided Tuesday that the names of potential witnesses in the classified documents case against Donald Trump will remain secret – resolving one of the issues that has created a logjam in the criminal case. But, Cannon said, witness statements can be used in the public filings — unless those statements would be identifying. Smith had strongly pushed back on a previous order from Cannon for transparency surrounding the identification of witnesses, pointing to fears of witness harassment. CNN previously reported that the potential witness list includes a number of low-level workers from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Trump’s lawyers had argued they should be able to name potential witnesses, as is typical in criminal cases.

Persons: Donald Trump, Aileen Cannon, Jack Smith’s, Cannon, redactions, Smith, ”, Trump’s, Trump Organizations: CNN, Trump’s Mar Locations: Trump’s, Lago, Florida, Fort Pierce , Florida

CNN —Special counsel Jack Smith urged the Supreme Court on Monday to reject Donald Trump’s claims of sweeping immunity and to deny the former president any opportunity to delay a trial on charges that he attempted to subvert the results of the 2020 election. Trump’s position, Smith told the court, has no grounding in the Constitution, the nation’s history or Americans’ understanding that presidents are not above the law. Even if the Supreme Court finds that former presidents are entitled to some form of immunity, Smith asserted, at least some of Trump’s actions were private conduct – far removed from “official acts” – and could be prosecuted. The Supreme Court will hear arguments April 25, and a decision is expected by July. Instead, he said that if the Supreme Court finds that former presidents are entitled to some immunity, a trial could get underway focused on Trump’s private actions.

Persons: Jack Smith, Donald Trump’s, Smith, ” –, ” Smith, Trump’s, doesn’t, ” Trump, “, ”, Trump, – Organizations: CNN, Court, Trump, Supreme, DC Locations: “, ”

Washington CNN —CNN has sued for access to recordings of federal investigators’ interview with President Joe Biden in the now-closed probe over his handling of classified documents. “Without access to any of the interview records, the press and public initially could not form their own conclusions about Hur’s characterization of Biden. Jason Leopold, a reporter for Bloomberg News who frequently brings FOIA lawsuits, also has filed two lawsuits for access to records Hur created. The Judicial Watch complaint, filed in March, specifically seeks access to the Biden interview recordings. In the interview, Hur said Biden couldn’t remember the years he was vice president or when his son died.

Persons: Washington CNN —, Joe Biden, Robert Hur’s, Biden, Hur, …, Donald Trump, Jason Leopold, Beau’s, “, ” Organizations: Washington CNN, Washington CNN — CNN, Justice, DOJ, CNN, DC, Justice Department, Bloomberg News, Heritage Foundation, Judicial Watch, ” Locations: Washington ,

☆ Special counsel blasts judge’s jury instruction request in Trump documents case
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

In an unusual order last month, Cannon asked attorneys on the classified documents case to submit briefs on potential jury instructions defining terms of the Espionage Act, under which Trump is charged over mishandling 32 classified records. Specifically, Cannon asked the special counsel and defense attorneys to write two versions of proposed jury instructions. Trump’s attorneys claim he did have that authority and have asked the judge to throw out the criminal charges. “Medical science has not yet devised an instrument which can record what was in one’s mind in the distant past,” Trump’s attorneys wrote. Cannon appeared skeptical that the charges should be outright dismissed during the hearing, but she said that Trump’s attorneys were making “forceful” arguments that may be appropriate to present to a trial jury.

Persons: Aileen Cannon, Donald Trump, Jack Smith, ” Smith’s, Cannon, Trump, ”, ’ Organizations: CNN, Presidential Records, White, ”, “, Prosecutors, Trump, National Archives, Mar Locations: Lago

☆ Judge in classified documents case grapples with how Trump’s personal records claim could be explained to a jury
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | Katelyn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

I don’t understand where she is going with this order,” Brad Moss, a national security lawyer, told CNN on Monday. Part of the law under which Trump is charged criminalizes a person having unauthorized possession of records related to national defense. Still, the judge asked prosecutors and defense lawyers to write versions of their proposed jury instructions that consider the PRA by April 2. “Engage with the following competing scenarios and offer alternative draft text that assumes each scenario to be a correct formulation of the law to be issued to a jury,” Cannon wrote on Monday. The second scenario would assume that as president, Trump had complete authority to take records he wanted from the White House under the PRA.

Persons: Aileen Cannon, Donald Trump’s, Trump, – Cannon, Cannon, wouldn’t, Brad Moss, “, ” Moss, she’s, ” Cannon, Moss Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, Department, “, White House, National Archives Locations: Trump’s

☆ Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is in discussions to help with reelection effort
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Kristen Holmes | Jack Forrest | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump’s team is in discussions with Paul Manafort, his 2016 campaign chairman whom he later pardoned, to potentially help with the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, three sources familiar with the ongoing conversations told CNN. Manafort, who was one of several individuals who ran Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, was pardoned by Trump after being found guilty of several financial crimes in 2018. Trump has told allies he wanted to bring Manafort back into the fold, but it was unclear in what capacity. The former Trump campaign staffer was found to have committed financial fraud in 2019. Even after resigning as chairman of Trump’s campaign, he was still involved with the former president’s transition to the White House, CNN reported at the time.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Paul Manafort, Manafort, Trump, Trump’s, Robert Mueller, Manafort’s, Reagan, CNN’s Evan Perez, Katelyn Polantz, Dan Merica Organizations: CNN, Republican National Convention, Washington Post, Trump, Republican, GOP, White House Locations: Milwaukee, Russian, Russia Ukrainian

Judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing the case, has set apart an entire day to hear arguments on whether the prosecution should be thrown out on the basis of Trump’s claims about his presidential classification powers. Trump is facing dozens of charges related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents, and for obstructing the Justice Department’s investigation. As president, defense attorneys argue, Trump was the chief classification officer and could mark any documents as “personal” and legally take those documents with him when he left office. Their arguments cite the Presidential Records Act, the federal law that governs how documents from an outgoing presidential administration are handled. The PRA says the moment a president leaves office, the National Archives and Records Administration gets custody and control of all presidential records from their administration.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jack Smith, Trump, Aileen Cannon, Cannon, –, Joe Biden’s, Department’s, I’m, “ Organizations: CNN, FBI, Records, National Archives, Records Administration, Presidential Records, Trump

☆ Top news outlets acknowledge Hur’s characterization of Biden’s mental state didn’t match reality
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The Wall Street Journal declared that the transcripts of Biden’s deposition with Hur released on Tuesday painted “a more nuanced picture” than the report indicated. Strangely, that characterization of Biden didn’t find its way into his report — and, thus, the crush of ensuing news stories. To be fair to news organizations, they were faced with a thorny, difficult decision after the Hur report dropped. On the other hand, leaning hard into the report, producing scores of stories and television segments about Hur’s characterization of Biden’s age, proved ultimately to be unwise as well. What news organizations can do now, however, is forcefully acknowledge that the deposition transcript poured cold water on Hur’s over-the-top characterization of Biden’s mental fitness.

Persons: Joe, Robert, Hur, Biden, “ clearheaded, Biden “ doesn’t, Charlie Savage, ” Hur, Biden didn’t, commendably, Bill Grueskin, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Fox, Biden, Columbia Journalism School Locations: New York, ”, That’s, U.S, Afghanistan, Wilmington

☆ Stephen Colbert Slams Former Special Counsel’s Conclusions
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Trish Bendix | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night’s highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now. Thanks for the MemoriesOn Tuesday, the former special counsel Robert K. Hur testified before the House Judiciary Committee, answering questions about his investigation into President Biden’s handling of classified documents. In his report, Hur referred to Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”“Yes, Biden has been dangerously forgetful, unlike Trump, who always remembers that he’s running against Obama, and unopposed, at that, since Nancy Pelosi dropped out,” Stephen Colbert said on his show Tuesday night.

Persons: Robert K, Hur, Biden’s, Biden, ”, Nancy Pelosi, ” Stephen Colbert Organizations: Netflix, Trump, Obama

☆ Poised and Precise, Hur Enters Fray Over Special Counsel’s Report on Biden
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Glenn Thrush | Luke Broadwater | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The former special counsel Robert K. Hur, denounced by Democrats for his unsparing description of President Biden’s memory lapses, had one of his own during his testimony on Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee. Representative James R. Comer, a Kentucky Republican, made passing reference to Dana A. Remus, a Democratic lawyer who had served as White House counsel under Mr. Biden from January 2021 to July 2022. Mr. Hur crinkled an eyebrow and corrected him: No, he said, she occupied that post under President Obama. The misstep was an isolated moment in an otherwise poised and precise appearance by Mr. Hur, 51, who was testifying about his report on the investigation into Mr. Biden’s handling of classified documents. Mr. Hur, a Trump-era Justice Department official known among former colleagues for keeping a cool head in high-stress, high-stakes situations, incited a furor after describing the president as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”

Persons: Robert K, Hur, James R, Comer, Dana A, Remus, Biden, Mr, Obama, Mr . Hur, . Hur, ” Organizations: Kentucky Republican, Democratic, White, -, Department Locations: Kentucky

☆ How the Special Counsel’s Portrayal of Biden’s Memory Compares With the Transcript
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Charlie Savage | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A transcript of a special counsel’s hourslong interview of President Biden over his handling of classified files shows that on several occasions the president fumbled with dates and the sequence of events, while otherwise appearing clearheaded. In a report released last month, Mr. Hur concluded that there was insufficient evidence to charge Mr. Biden with a crime after classified documents ended up in an office he used after his vice presidency and in his home in Delaware. But the report also portrayed Mr. Biden, 81, as an “elderly man with a poor memory,” touching off a political furor amid his re-election campaign. Mr. Biden’s lawyers, who were present for five hours of questioning over two days, have challenged the damaging portrait by Mr. Hur, a former Trump administration official. But the transcript had not been publicly available to evaluate Mr. Hur’s assessment that Mr. Biden’s memory has “significant limitations.”

Persons: Biden, Robert K, Hur, Mr, Mr . Hur Organizations: The New York Times, Trump Locations: Delaware

☆ Takeaways from Robert Hur’s testimony on Biden’s mishandling of classified documents
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Jeremy Herb | Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

which found evidence Biden willfully retained classified materials but that the evidence did not rise to the level of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. And he took on criticism directly over his inclusion of the state of Biden’s memory. On the Republican side, lawmakers pressed Hur on why he didn’t charge Biden despite the evidence of classified documents in Biden’s possession. “In short, to borrow a phrase from the last administration, the Hur report represents the complete and total exoneration of President Biden,” Nadler said. Hur found some evidence that Biden willfully retained classified materials after he left the Obama White House.

Persons: Robert Hur, Joe Biden’s, Hur, Biden, Donald Trump, Jim Jordan’s, Jerry Nadler, Jordan, misremembering, Trump, Viktor Orbán, ” Nadler, Jacquelyn Martin, AP Hur, ” Hur, “, Robert Mueller, Mueller, Eric Swalwell of, ” Swalwell, isn’t, ”, Hank Johnson, Adam Schiff, ” Schiff, didn’t, I’m, ’ ”, Tom McClintock, Joe Biden, Biden “, Obama, “ Joe Biden, he’s, Mr, ” Jordan, Nadler, Biden’s, CNN’s Devan Cole, Hannah Rabinowitz, Holmes Lybrand, Evan Perez Organizations: Committee, Republicans, Biden, Trump, Rep, Department of Justice, Capitol, Democratic, Georgia Democrat, ”, California Democrat, Senate, Republican, California Republican, Democrat, Ohio Republican, Obama Locations: Egypt, Mexico, Hungary, Turkey, Washington ,, Russia, Eric Swalwell of California, Georgia, California, House, Ohio

I ended up loading all the luggage I had – and he had a bunch of boxes,” Butler said of Nauta. But I also have a bad feeling that what I’m saying is getting him into trouble,” Butler told CNN. Given his long history at Trump’s club, Butler shed light on potentially critical instances related to the disclosure of classified information. De Oliveira hung up the phone, happily, and told Butler that Trump would provide him an attorney, Butler says. I think we went to sit down,” Butler told CNN.

Persons: Kaitlan Collins, CNN —, Donald Trump’s, Brian Butler, “, Jack Smith, Butler, Trump, Walt Nauta, Carlos De Oliveira, Lago, Donald Trump, CNN Butler, Nauta, De Oliveira, didn’t, ‘, ” Butler, Department’s, he’s, John Irving, Florida Butler, MAGA, Trump’s, ’, I’m, De Oliveria, Brian Butler's, Jeffrey Sloman, De Oliveira nudging, Anthony Pratt, Pratt, there’s, There’s De Oliveira, Melania Trump, putts De Oliveira, Taylor Swift, De, “ Carlos, pats, Butler “, Carlos, ‘ He’s, ’ ” Butler Organizations: CNN, “ Trump, Trump, Mar, Justice Department, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, CNN The Florida, FBI, Southern, Southern District of, Smith’s, Prosecutors Locations: Mar, Palm Beach , Florida, Trump, New Jersey, Nauta, Palm Beach, Lago, West Palm, Florida, Palm, South Florida, Southern District, Southern District of Florida, Russian, Butler

In Florida, meanwhile, a federal judge could push back Trump’s trial date in the classified documents case. Special Counsel Jack Smith and attorneys for Trump proposed moving the trial later into the summer in court filings Thursday. For Friday’s hearing in the documents case, scheduled for 10 a.m. Smith has highlighted a myriad of threats made against individuals connected to the documents case, including witnesses, government employees, an FBI agent involved in the initial Mar-a-Lago search and two federal judges, including Cannon herself. Attorneys for Trump and his allies are expected to argue that Wade and Willis lied under oath about when their relationship started.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Fani Willis, Aileen Cannon, Joe Biden’s, Jack Smith, Smith, Walt Nauta, Carlos De Oliviera, De Oliviera’s, Cannon, —, Biden, – Nauta, De Oliveira, –, Willis, Scott McAfee, Nathan Wade, Wade, McAfee, Charles Mittelstadt, Terrence Bradley, Bradley, Ashleigh Merchant, Merchant Organizations: CNN, Trump —, White, National Security Council, Prosecutors, Trump Locations: Georgia, Florida, Fulton County, California, Belize, Caribbean

☆ Supreme Court to decide Trump immunity claim, further delaying election subversion trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( John Fritze | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to decide whether Donald Trump may claim immunity in special counsel Jack Smith’s election subversion case, adding another explosive appeal from the former president to its docket and further delaying his federal trial. The high court on Wednesday ordered that a lower court ruling against Trump remain on hold until it decides the issue. As is common when granting a case, the court released only a short order and did not indicate how the justices voted. Trump had filed an emergency request at the Supreme Court on February 12 asking the justices to block a lower court ruling that he was not immune from Smith’s election subversion charges. Trump and Smith filed dueling briefs at the Supreme Court over whether the decision should be put on hold.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jack Smith’s, Trump, It’s, Smith, SCOTUS, Steve Vladeck, “, ” Vladeck, ”, Vladeck, Tanya Chutkan, Trump’s, Karen LeCraft Henderson, Florence Pan, Michelle Childs, eviscerated, Gore, George W, Bush, Al Gore, CNN’s Hannah Rabinowitz, Devan Cole Organizations: CNN, Supreme, Republican, Trump, DC Circuit, University of Texas School of Law Locations: New York, Bush

☆ Judge denies efforts by Trump co-defendants to see classified material they allegedly helped conceal at Mar-a-Lago
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Holmes Lybrand | Katelyn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The judge presiding over the Mar-a-Lago documents case on Tuesday denied efforts by Donald Trump’s co-defendants to view the classified records they allegedly moved around the former president’s Florida residence for him. The men, political aide Walt Nauta and property staffer Carlos De Oliveira, wanted to view the classified records to prepare their trial defenses against obstruction of justice charges. They are accused of helping Trump conceal documents he unlawfully kept in Florida after he left the presidency. Cannon has yet to rule on efforts by Trump’s attorneys for him to access a smaller collection of classified documents, which the Justice Department wants to protect because of their national security sensitivity. The judge noted that “Nauta and De Oliveira remain able to review unclassified documents found in ‘Trump’s boxes’” that are part of the charges against them.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Walt Nauta, Carlos De Oliveira, Trump, Aileen Cannon, Cannon, De Oliveira, Nauta, ” Cannon, “, Defendant Trump, ’ ”, Defendant Nauta Organizations: CNN, Mar, Southern, Southern District of, Nauta, Justice Department Locations: Florida, Southern District, Southern District of Florida

☆ How Trump will seek to pit federal judges against each other to avoid trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Katelyn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“Meaning, ice her,” said a person familiar with Trump’s trial schedule strategy. That would create a hole in Trump’s court schedule after the New York trial that no other case is positioned to fill. The special counsel’s office has repeatedly argued that the public, too, deserves to have Trump’s federal election case before a jury quickly, potentially even before the next presidential election. While Trump couldn’t be on trial simultaneously in two different courts, judges could have overlapping schedules initially because trial dates can often move. He’s not going to be in more than one criminal trial at the same time.”CNN’s Hannah Rabinowitz and Holmes Lybrand contributed to this report.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Tanya Chutkan, ”, Aileen Cannon, Trump’s, Cannon, Aileen Canon, Obama, Chutkan, Trump, Stormy Daniels, “, ” Trump, Todd Blanche, –, it’s, applicant’s, Juan Merchan, ” Merchan, Blanche, ” Blanche, Merchan, Mr, He’s, ” CNN’s Hannah Rabinowitz, Holmes Lybrand Organizations: CNN, Trump, Quinnipiac University, New, Justice Department, Supreme Locations: Florida, Georgia, Washington, DC, Manhattan, York, Fort Pierce , Florida, New York

☆ Biden lawyers wrote to AG Garland objecting to aspects of Hur’s report
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Kevin Liptak | Mj Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —The White House wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland the day before special counsel Robert Hur’s report was released, vehemently objecting to aspects of the report – including its “multiple denigrating statements” about the president’s memory. Ultimately, Hur did not appear to heed calls by Biden’s lawyers to produce a narrow and concise report limited to the facts of the charging decision. The lawyers wrote Hur’s report “mirrors one of the most widely-recognized examples in recent history of inappropriate prosecutor criticism of uncharged conduct.”“The FBI and DOJ personnel’s criticism of uncharged conduct during investigations in connection with the 2016 election was found to violate ‘long-standing Department practice and protocol,’” the lawyers wrote. The letter underscores the deep anger generated by Hur’s report inside the White House and lays bare tensions between Biden’s team and Garland. CNN has previously reported that frustrations have run high inside the White House regarding some of Garland’s decisions related to the classified documents matter.

Persons: General Merrick Garland, Robert Hur’s, Joe Biden’s, Hur, —, ”, Bob Bauer, Edward Siskel, Garland, James Comey, Hillary Clinton, Biden, General Bradley Weinsheimer, Bauer, Richard Sauber, Weinsheimer –, Eric Holder Organizations: Washington CNN, DOJ, FBI, Politico, The New York Times, CNN, White, Department

☆ Special counsel urges Supreme Court to deny Trump’s request for delay in immunity case
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( John Fritze | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Special counsel Jack Smith pressed the Supreme Court on Wednesday to let stand a lower court ruling that denied former President Donald Trump immunity from prosecution, urging the justices to allow the trial in his election subversion case to begin quickly. “The charged crimes strike at the heart of our democracy,” Smith told the Supreme Court. Smith asked that if the court orders a delay that it consider the request an appeal and set the case for expedited briefing and argument. Trump on Monday asked the Supreme Court to temporarily block that decision so he could appeal it. Earlier Tuesday, Chief Justice John Roberts gave Smith until February 20 to respond to Trump’s emergency request.

Persons: Jack Smith, Donald Trump, ” Smith, Trump, Smith, “, John Roberts Organizations: CNN, Supreme, DC Circuit, Monday, Trump, Republican

☆ Review of Sensitive Issues Slows Potential Release of Biden Transcript
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Charlie Savage | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The White House’s review of whether to release a transcript of a special counsel’s interview of President Biden that set off a political furor is being complicated by the sensitive material it covers, including classified information, security measures and discussions that could be subject to executive privilege, people familiar with the matter said. The White House has been pressed by reporters seeking the transcript since the release last week of the report by Robert K. Hur, a special counsel who investigated Mr. Biden’s handling of classified records from his vice presidency after he left office. And three Republican chairmen of House oversight committees have sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland demanding that he turn over both the transcript and audio recording. Such a disclosure does not appear imminent, according to people who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal matters about why the review is challenging. Mr. Hur, who was appointed by Mr. Garland and had served as a political appointee in the Trump Justice Department, found that “no criminal charges are warranted” against Mr. Biden even though classified material from his vice presidency had been found at an office and in his home.

Persons: Biden, Robert K, Hur, General Merrick B, Garland, . Hur Organizations: White, Trump Justice Department, Mr

☆ Opinion: Jon Stewart’s brilliant return
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Opinion Bill Carter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images Stewart waves goodbye backstage after taping the last episode of "The Jon Stewart Show" in 1995. M. Caulfield/WireImage/Getty Images Stewart appears on an episode of CNN's "Crossfire" with Paul Begala, left, and Tucker Carlson in 2004. Ethan Miller/Getty Images Stewart signs an autograph on the Emmys red carpet in 2009. Zach Gibson/Getty Images Stewart appears on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" in 2019. Scott Kowalchyk/CBS/Getty Images Stewart smiles as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell walks by him on Capitol Hill in 2019.

Persons: Bill Carter, CNN —, Bill Carter Bill Carter, Jon Stewart, ” Stewart’s, Stewart, “, ”, Joe Biden, Travis Kelce, ” Stewart, —, Abdel Fattah el, Biden, ” Jon Stewart, Victoria Will, College of William & Mary, William, Mary Athletics Stewart, Conan O'Brien, Lesly Weiner, Mike Piazza, Jeff Kravitz, Catherine McGann, Ron Galella, Jennifer Beals, Guillermo Diaz, Universal Pictures Stewart, Tracey McShane, Steve Eichner, Adam Sandler, Corey Sipkin, Paul Begala, Tucker Carlson, CNN Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Colbert, Scott Gries, Todd Plitt, Rob Corddry, Ed Helms, Samantha Bee —, Ethan Miller, Kevork Djansezian, Mark Peterson, Bill Kotsatos, Nathan, Maggie, Tomorrowland Speedway, David Roark, Benjamin Lowy, Bill O'Reilly, Jamie McCarthy, Valentino, Tracey, Jo, Anne McArthur, Barack Obama, Pete Souza, Trevor Noah, Noah, Brad Barket, Comedy Central Stewart, Alex Wong, Rossum, James Devaney, John Feal, Zach Gibson, Scott Kowalchyk, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, Bill Clark, Twain, Kevin Wolf, Matt Wilson, Donald Trump, Biden’s forgetfulness, Trump, Jack Paar, Dulcé Sloan Organizations: The New York Times, CNN, HBO, Comedy Central, “ CBS, Super, College of William &, Mary Athletics, MTV, Getty, Miramax, Everett, Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures, Television Critics Association, Caulfield, MTV Networks, Comedy, Tomorrowland, Walt Disney, Disney, Cancer Moonshot Initiative, New York Knicks, FealGood, CBS, Kennedy Center, Performing Arts, Daily, Democratic, Biden Locations: TikTok, Gaza, Mexico, Egypt, Williamsburg , Virginia, New York, Washington , DC, Florida, Washington ,, Pennsylvania

☆ Frustrated White House sends letter to press corps, skewering coverage of Biden’s handling of classified files
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The White House is making its frustration over recent press coverage known. In a letter Tuesday to the White House Correspondents’ Association, Ian Sams, spokesperson for the White House Counsel’s Office, expressed concern over how the news media has covered Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report on President Joe Biden’s handling of classified material. Sams’ letter is yet another step White House officials have taken to push back against press narratives about the report. It’s not just the White House making such arguments though. The White House, of course, knows that it will not be successful in getting news organizations to walk back previous coverage.

Persons: Ian Sams, Robert Hur’s, Joe Biden’s, Sams, ” Sams, Biden “, ”, Hur, Biden, It’s, Andrew Weissmann, Robert Mueller’s, Donald Trump, Ryan Goodman, Robert Hur, ” Weissmann, Goodman, “ Organizations: CNN, White, ’ Association, Just, New York University Locations: Afghanistan

Former President Donald Trump kicked off a last-ditch effort to preserve his claim of total immunity from criminal charges by asking the Supreme Court on Monday to intervene, filing an application for a stay of a lower-court ruling that he cannot use immunity as a defense. “President Trump is the leading candidate for President in the 2024 election,” Trump’s attorneys wrote in the application. The Best Cartoons on Donald Trump View All 292 Images“For the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant,” the judges wrote. The request for a stay precedes an expected appeal to the high court and was not a surprise. Until the Supreme Court acts on the request for a stay, the appellate judges will delay formally sending their decision, or “mandate,” to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing the election interference trial.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, ”, Biden –, President Trump, Trump’s, Tanya Chutkan, Chutkan, eviscerated, Fred Wertheimer, ” Wertheimer, “ Organizations: “, U.S ., Appeals, Capitol, Donald Trump View, Trump, Democracy Locations: U.S, Colorado

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