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☆ House GOP Biden inquiry stalls as impeachment becomes less likely
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Annie Grayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Hunter Biden arrives at the Thomas P. O'Neil Jr. House Office Building for a closed door deposition on February 28, in Washington, DC. Abbe Lowell makes a statement to the press following a closed-door deposition before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and House Judiciary Committee in the O'Neill House Office Building on February 28, in Washington, DC. “He was well-prepared for the kind of questions,” Issa recounted of Hunter Biden. GOP focus shifts away from impeachment probeInvestigating the Biden family and going after President Biden was a top priority for House Republicans when they reclaimed the majority and got control of committees. GOP Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana said the three Republican chairmen leading the impeachment inquiry have the same message: “They say we’re not in a position to go forward on impeachment.”

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Hunter Biden, James Comer, Jim Jordan, Comer, Donald Trump, Thomas P, O'Neil Jr, Countess, Merrick, Justice won’t, ” Comer, Mike Johnson, “, Jordan, Johnson, “ I’m, ” Johnson, Ralph Norman of, Troy Nehls, impeaching Biden, We’ve, Let’s, ”, ” Nehls, Alejandro Mayorkas, I’m, Trump, weaponized, ” Jordan, Vernon, Ed Siskel, ” Siskel, Hunter, Mary, ” Hunter, Abbe Lowell, Samuel Corum, Hunter Biden’s, Darrell Issa, ” Issa, Robert Hur, Garret Graves, Chip Roy, Texas, Lisa McClain, Richard Hudson of, it’s, Nick LaLota, ” Norman, Ryan Zinke Organizations: House Republicans, Department of Justice, CNN, Fox News, Merrick Garland’s Department, Justice, Louisiana Republican, ” Staff, GOP, Caucus, Democratic, Homeland, Senate, Trump, White, Getty, Committee, Republican, of, Hunter Biden, Republicans, Internal Revenue Service, Judiciary, House, House Republican, “ Locations: Washington ,, Merrick Garland’s, Louisiana, House, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Texas, Georgia, Miami, Vernon Hill, Florida, O'Neill, Washington , DC, California, Lisa McClain of Michigan, Richard Hudson of North Carolina, New York, Montana

The ruling was not related to a defense effort to disqualify Fani T. Willis, the district attorney of Fulton County, Ga., who is leading the case. Count 5 concerned a call that Mr. Trump made to David Ralston, who was then the speaker of the Georgia House. During that conversation Mr. Trump pressed Mr. Ralston to call a special legislative session to appoint new electors. Mr. Trump and his former personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, had faced the most charges, at 13 apiece. They include Mark Meadows, the former White House chief of staff, and John Eastman, a legal architect of the plot to deploy fake electors in swing states that Mr. Trump lost.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Scott McAfee, Fani, Willis, “, importuned, Brad Raffensperger, ”, McAfee, Steven H, Count, Raffensperger, Joseph R, Biden, David Ralston, Ralston, Rudolph W, Giuliani, Mark Meadows, John Eastman, Ray Smith III, Robert Cheeley, Anthony Michael Kreis, Kreis, Donald Trump, ” Norman Eisen, Eisen, Smith’s, Don Samuel, Ray Smith, Brian Kemp of, Nathan Wade Organizations: Fulton Superior Court, Prosecutors, Count, Trump, White House, Georgia State University, Act . Defense, Gov, Republican Locations: Atlanta, Georgia, Fulton, Fulton County ,, Brian Kemp of Georgia

Trump’s legal tactic of pursuing delays and elevating smoke-and-mirror sideshows has dramatically increased the odds that any halt of his ascent to the presidency will instead have to come from voters at the ballot box in November. Many experts agree that was Trump’s principal legal “strategy” from the outset. We need at least four delays – delay, delay, delay, delay – when we talk about the Trump strategy to match the four trials,” says Norm Eisen, former special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee during Trump’s first impeachment trial. Eisen says that even with the hiccups prosecutor incurred this week, the delay strategy can only take Trump so far. “I think the delay, delay, delay, delay tactic is going to run out of steam and we’re certain to see one criminal trial of the former president for 2016 election interference and we may very well see multiple trials,” Eisen said.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Trump, ”, Norm Eisen, Trump’s, Fani Willis, Willis, Nathan Wade, Scott McAfee, Wade, McAfee, Aileen Cannon, Cannon, Jack Smith’s, Smith, Stormy Daniels, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Bragg, Eisen, ” Eisen, “ Organizations: Republican, White, Trump, Presidential Records, Manhattan, Attorney, Southern, of, Justice Department Locations: Fulton County, Georgia, of New York, Florida

☆ Middle East Crisis Palestinian Authority Leader Expected to Choose Insider as Prime Minister
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Adam Rasgon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority has signaled his desire to appoint Muhammad Mustafa, a close economic adviser, as prime minister. Mr. Abbas could change his mind, and a decision to appoint Mr. Mustafa will only be final if Mr. Abbas signs a decree. Much of the Palestinian public sees the Palestinian Authority as tainted by corruption, mismanagement and cooperation with Israel. In the Palestinian Authority, the prime minister is supposed to oversee the work of ministries, but Mr. Abbas often intervenes in decision-making, according to analysts. He has previously been the authority’s economy minister and deputy prime minister.

Persons: Mahmoud Abbas, Muhammad Mustafa, Abbas, Mustafa, Mr, Majdi Mohammed, Mohammed Shtayyeh, “, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Nasser, Mohammed, Muhammad, ”, Qudwa, Abu Mazen, “ Abu Mazen, Borge Brende, Jehad Harb Organizations: Palestinian Authority, Palestinian, Union, European Union, Press, West Bank, United, Authority, Israel, George Washington University, Washington , D.C, Palestine Investment Fund, Gaza Locations: Gaza, Israel, Hamas, United States, Palestinian, Washington ,, Davos, Ramallah

☆ Democratic senators have privately warned White House that votes aren’t there to confirm Biden’s Muslim judicial nominee
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Mj Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

But some allies of the White House on Capitol Hill have made clear that there is not enough support – including among Democrats – to confirm Mangi in the full Senate, those sources said. The controversy surrounding Mangi’s nomination comes at a moment of heightened political tensions across the country since Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel. The White House and Democratic lawmakers have pushed back, accusing Republicans of Islamophobic attacks that are based on Mangi’s ethnic background and touting support from Jewish groups. The White House has also called on senators such as Cruz to apologize to Mangi. “Treatment of this highly qualified nominee has sometimes reached an all-time low.”CNN has reached out to Durbin’s office for additional comment.

Persons: Adeel Mangi, Joe Biden’s, Biden, Mangi, –, Texas Republican Sen, Ted Cruz, Rutgers University –, Cruz, ” Cruz, ” Mangi, “, ”, Jeff Zientz, Shuwanza Goff, White, Ed Siskel, Andrew Bates, ’ ” Bates, “ Mr, Dick Durbin, ” Durbin Organizations: Washington CNN —, Democratic, CNN, US, Appeals, White, Capitol, Texas Republican, Center for Security, Rights, Rutgers University, White House, Defamation League, Senate, Committee, House Locations: New York, Israel

☆ Opinion | Robert Hur’s Testimony About His Report on Biden
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

To the Editor:Re “Special Counsel Defends Claims on Biden Lapses” (front page, March 13):After watching hours of testimony by Robert Hur, the special counsel in the investigation of President Biden’s handling of classified documents, I am impressed by his professionalism and impartiality. Why the Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee thought a televised hearing would undermine Mr. Biden and help Donald Trump eludes me. Mr. Hur’s decision not to prosecute Mr. Biden involved an analysis of the totality of the circumstances and was the correct outcome. Mr. Hur determined he could not meet that high standard. The repeated comparisons with Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents were damning for the former president.

Persons: Biden, Robert Hur, Biden’s, Mr, Donald Trump eludes, Hur’s, Hur, Donald Trump’s, Robert S, Biden “ Organizations: Republican, Prosecutors, Carroll Locations: Carroll Staten

☆ I’m addicted to TikTok. What do I do now that the House has effectively voted to ban it?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The bill would prohibit TikTok from US app stores unless the social media platform is quickly spun off from ByteDance. Some TikTok users posted videos ahead of Wednesday’s vote showing them calling their representatives and threatening to vote for alternate candidates if they voted to pass the bill. “This process was secret and the bill was jammed through for one reason: it’s a ban,” a TikTok spokesperson said in a statement following the Wednesday House vote. That may be even more true after Biden’s likely opponent in November, former President Donald Trump, said he opposed a TikTok ban, a reversal from his stance as president. App stores that violate the legislation could be fined based on the number of users of a banned app.

Persons: …, Princess, Wales, TikTokkers, ByteDance, Chuck Schumer, “, ”, Dick Durbin, Joe Biden, ” Durbin, Donald Trump, TikTok, Dan Ives Organizations: New, New York CNN, Foreign, House Energy, Commerce, Senate, Apple, Google Locations: New York, ByteDance, It’s, Montana, United States

☆ Opinion: Intelligence briefings for Trump are risky – but so is denial of briefings
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Opinion Frederick D. Baron | Dennis Aftergut | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The White House reportedly plans to follow tradition and authorize national security briefings for Trump after he officially becomes his party’s nominee at the Republican National Convention in July. Serious financial need is a top reason for denial of clearances for federal government positions requiring access to classified national security information, due to vulnerability to bribery or coercion. Given the risks posed by Trump’s access to national security intelligence, we must ask whether Biden’s asymmetrical belief in sticking to political norms is an Achilles heel. In opting to provide intelligence briefings to candidate Trump, they are likely to impose conditions on the briefings for security reasons. In granting intelligence briefings to his rival, he clearly reasoned that preserving a nonpartisan tradition was the wisest decision at this difficult moment in the nation’s history.

Persons: Frederick D, Baron, Dennis Aftergut, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Frederick Baron, Cooley, Biden, Trump, Jamie Raskin, Robert Hur’s, Jack Smith, Raskin, “, Putin, ”, Steve Benen, John Bolton, Obama, John Brennan, Adam Schiff, • Organizations: of National Security, Department of Justice, Intelligence, Defending American Democracy, CNN, Trump, White, Republican National Convention, Sensible, Southern District of, Maryland, Foreign Relations, Helsinki Trump, NATO, MSNBC, Mar, National Security Council, National Security, CIA, House Intelligence, Thursday’s State, Union Locations: Southern District, Southern District of Florida, Russia, Helsinki, “, New York, Thursday’s

☆ 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

☆ Trump undoubtedly controls the GOP, but the TikTok vote shows Republicans won't always follow him in lockstep
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Even Republican House lawmakers, the group that is arguably the most pro-Trump in Congress, defied their de facto leader, who now opposes the bill. There's a lot of good and there's a lot of bad with TikTok. Congressional Republicans have defied Trump before. Even Republican voters have at times defied Trump. The former president has been especially effective in his targeted campaign against the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach him for inciting the insurrection.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Lara Trump, Wednesday's, TikTok, Jeff Yass, Tom Emmer's speakership, Jim Jordan, Joe Biden, Mitch McConnell, Mike DeWine, Rob Portman, Sen, Sherrod Brown Organizations: Service, Republican Party, Republican National Committee, Republican, Trump, Biden, Chinese Communist Party, CNBC, Facebook, Congressional, GOP, week's Ohio GOP, Ohio Gov, Democrat, Republicans Locations: Congress, ByteDance, Beijing, Yass, week's Ohio

☆ Transcript of Biden's interview with Robert Hur shows the president cracked jokes about his wife and mimicked car sounds
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The transcript suggests critiques of his memory may be overblown and shows Biden's sense of humor. "I just hope you didn't find any risqué pictures of my wife in a bathing suit," The Washington Post reported the president told federal prosecutors. The Post reported he mimicked the sound of a car twice during the discussion, with the transcript reading "(Makes car sound)" and "(Laughter)." "Remember, in this timeframe, my son is — either been deployed or is dying," NBC reported Biden said. "No," the Post reported Biden said, explaining the significant effect Beau's 2015 death from a brain tumor had on him.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Robert Hur, Biden, —, South Carolina Sen, Lindsey Graham, Hur, Beau Organizations: Service, Washington Post, Post, South Carolina, Business, Biden, NBC, Trump Justice Department, The New York Times

☆ Robert Hur, Special Counsel Who Investigated Biden, to Testify Before Congress
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Glenn Thrush | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Robert K. Hur will walk into a Capitol Hill hearing room on Tuesday as a uniquely unifying figure in divided Washington — a man disdained by Democrats and Republicans alike. In February, Mr. Hur, the special counsel who investigated President Biden, concluded a yearlong investigation into Mr. Biden’s retention of sensitive government documents by finding that the president should face no criminal charges. But Mr. Hur, using language Mr. Biden’s team saw as gratuitous, politically damaging and outside his job description, described the octogenarian president as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” likely to be acquitted by any jury. Mr. Hur, 51, will face withering questioning from both parties when he testifies before the House Judiciary Committee to explain his exoneration of Mr. Biden and the barbed prose in his 345-page report.

Persons: Robert K, Hur, Biden, Biden’s, Mr . Hur, Mr Organizations: Democrats, Republicans, Mr, Committee Locations: Washington

☆ The only thing ex-special counsel Robert Hur's testimony showed is everyone hates his report
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Madison Hall | John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Robert Hur appeared before Congress to discuss his report on Biden's handling of classified documents. Hur was peppered with questions about the report, which frustrated both Republicans and Democrats. The explosive report has put a spotlight on Biden's age as he seeks a second term. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . But the full transcript of the interviews released Tuesday morning revealed that Hur's report appeared to overstate the president's memory issues.

Persons: Robert Hur, Hur, —, Joe Biden's, Donald Trump's, Biden, Adam Schiff, wouldn't, Schiff, Jim Jordan, Joe Biden, shouldn't, he's, Jaime Harrison, Trump Organizations: Republicans, Democrats, Service, Republican, Democratic, Intelligence, California US, Biden, Ohio Republican, Department of Justice, Monmouth University, Democratic National Locations: California

"My task was to determine whether the president retained or disclosed national defense information willfully," Hur told the House Judiciary Committee in testimony about his probe of Biden. "I could not make that determination without assessing the president's state of mind," Hur testified. The special counsel in his final report on the probe concluded that Biden "willfully retained and disclosed classified materials" which the special counsel wrote presented "serious risks to national security." Nor did I disparage the president unfairly," Hur told lawmakers Tuesday. "Because the evidence fell short of that standard, I declined to recommend criminal charges against Mr. Biden," Hur said.

Persons: Robert Hur, Joe Biden, Hur, Biden, Mr, " Hur Organizations: Democratic

☆ Federal judiciary clamps down on ‘judge-shopping’ tactics that have helped Texas block Biden and liberal policies
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The policy-making body of the federal judiciary is clamping down on the system that conservatives have successfully used in recent years to hamstring President Joe Biden’s agenda and other federal policies, including those concerning reproductive rights. The new policy seeks to curb “judge-shopping,” the strategy where litigants strategically file lawsuits in courthouses where the cases will be guaranteed to be heard by judges perceived to be sympathetic to their arguments. While the strategy has long been used in patent cases, there been a concerted uptick for politically charged, wide-reaching cases that have been filed in Texas by Republican state attorneys general or conservative, private-sector parties. Under the new policy, such cases seeking nationwide or state-wide orders will go into the lottery system used by the entire district. “The current issue relates to nationwide injunctions or statewide injunctions,” Sutton said at a news conference Tuesday.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, mifepristone, Matthew Kacsmaryk –, Donald Trump, –, ”, Steve Vladeck, Jeffrey Sutton, ” Sutton, it’s Organizations: CNN, Republican, Food, Judicial, United States, Amarillo Division, Court, Northern, Northern District of, University of Texas School of Law Locations: Texas, Amarillo, Northern District, Northern District of Texas

☆ Transcript of Biden's interview with special counsel Robert Hur shows memory lapses — but also detailed exchanges
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Mike Memoli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

But the transcript of Biden's interview, which was reviewed by NBC News, paints a more nuanced picture on both sides. At one point, Hur acknowledged that some of the questions he would ask would "relate to events that happened years ago." According to the review of the transcript, Biden at times expanded beyond the narrow subject areas of particular questions. In his opening statement, Hur planned to defend his investigation, the final report and his treatment of Biden's age. He also noted that some of the issues he was dealing with as vice president continue today.

Persons: Robert K Hur, Jabin, Robert Hur's, Joe Biden's, Biden, Hur, Beau Biden's, Beau's, Biden Biden, Israel, it's, Joe Biden, Evelyn Hockstein, Jim Jordan, James Comer, Hur's, Bob Bauer, Bauer, Richard Sauber, Joseph R, Beau, Tom Brenner, Beau Biden, I'm, hadn't, Trump, Mandel Ngan, They're, Benjamin Netanyahu, Barack Obama's, Obama, Pope Francis, Francis Organizations: White, Washington , D.C, Washington Post, Getty Images WASHINGTON, NBC, NBC News, Trump, Hamas, Pullman, Reuters, Republican, Capitol, White House, Justice Department, Biden III National Guard / Reserve, New, Penn Biden Center, Chamber, AFP, Getty Locations: Brady, Washington ,, Mongolia, Atlanta , Georgia, U.S, Ohio, Ky, New Castle, New Castle , Delaware, Penn, Virginia, Delaware, State, Israel, Afghanistan, Iran

"There has been a lot of attention paid to language in the report about the president’s memory," Hur said, addressing one of the most contentious parts of his report. For that reason, I had to consider the President’s memory and overall mental state, and how a jury likely would perceive his memory and mental state in a criminal trial." Rep. Adam Schiff, California Democrat, chided Hur for including the references to Biden's memory at all. The issue of both Biden's and Trump's mental acuity has been an ongoing issue in the 2024 campaign, although polling shows that voters have greater concerns about Biden's age. "What does that say about his mental state?"

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, Robert Hur, Hur, –, “ Joe Biden, Mr, Jim Jordan, Adam Schiff, ”, Schiff, Kamala Harris, Matt Gaetz, Nate Moran, needled Hur, wasn't, Jerrold Nadler, bungles, Nadler, Trump's, Ken Buck Organizations: Republicans, Justice, GOP, White House, Ohio Republican, Trump, Biden, Texas Republican, New, New York Democrat, Colorado Republican Locations: Biden’s, Ohio, California, Florida, Texas, New York, Colorado

☆ 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

☆ 5 Takeaways From Hur’s Testimony About the Biden Classified Documents Inquiry
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Charlie Savage | Michael D. Shear | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Robert K. Hur, the former special counsel who investigated President Biden’s possession of classified documents after he left the vice presidency, testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. Republicans grilled Mr. Hur about his conclusion that the evidence was insufficient to charge Mr. Biden with a crime. Members of both parties were unhappy with aspects of Mr. Hur’s report. Republicans were upset that Mr. Biden was not charged with a crime, repeatedly noting the criminal indictment against former President Donald J. Trump that accuses him of willfully retaining sensitive national security documents. Democrats accused Mr. Hur of smearing Mr. Biden’s mental acuity, saying it violated Justice Department policies.

Persons: Robert K, Hur, Biden’s, Mr, Biden, ”, Hur’s, Donald J, Trump

☆ 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

☆ Special Counsel Who Investigated Biden Offers Fierce Defense of Report
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Glenn Thrush | Luke Broadwater | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Robert K. Hur, the special counsel who investigated President Biden, on Tuesday fiercely defended the disparaging assessment of the president’s mental state included in his final report — and his decision not to charge Mr. Biden with a crime. Mr. Hur, appearing before the House Judiciary Committee to answer questions about his polarizing 345-page report, cast himself as an impartial arbiter. He said he had expressed concerns about Mr. Biden’s memory because he needed to justify not bringing a case against Mr. Biden after some evidence showed that the president had willfully retained sensitive material from his vice presidency. “I resolved to do the work as I did all my work for the department: fairly, thoroughly and professionally,” he said in his opening statement. Mr. Hur, a registered Republican who has been slammed by Mr. Biden’s allies for including his politically damaging assessment of Mr. Biden’s memory, showed little emotion during the hearing, but reacted angrily when a Democrat suggested he had “smeared” the president to bolster Mr. Trump.

Persons: Robert K, Hur, Biden, —, Mr, . Hur, “, ”, Mr . Hur, Biden’s, Trump Organizations: Democrat

☆ Opinion: Hur hearing shows GOP will need more than age issue against Biden
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Patrick T. Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —President Joe Biden tried to put voters’ concerns about his age to rest last week with a fiery State of the Union address. In many respects, the damage to Biden was already done by the release of Hur’s report last month. Biden has gamely sought to defuse the age issue, often joking about being aware of his own limitations and contrasting himself favorably with Trump. And the transcript provided more details that provided some added context behind the initial picture painted by Hur’s report. Biden’s age clearly remains his biggest political vulnerability and a key factor in the race.

Persons: Patrick T, Brown, Joe Biden, Robert Hur, Biden, Hur, Republicans didn’t, Hank Johnson, “, gamely, Donald Trump’s, Biden’s, Franklin D, Roosevelt, Trump Organizations: Public Policy Center, Economic Committee, CNN, GOP, Republicans, Georgia Democrat, Trump, Democrats, Democratic Locations: Washington , DC, Georgia, Mexico, Egypt, Afghanistan, America

☆ 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

Oklahoma and Kentucky are also taking steps to clarify their abortion bans, though in both states the attorneys general, not physicians, are the ones dictating the terms. Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion in 2022, states have been free to enact their own restrictions. “It’s not going to deal with hard calls,” said Greer Donley, an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law who is an expert on abortion law. As some states mull how to clarify — without weakening — their abortion bans, abortion rights advocates in several states continue to challenge the bans with lawsuits. Frustrated with the board's inaction, Amy and Steven Bresnen, a couple who are lawyers and lobbyists, filed a petition in January asking it to clarify what circumstances qualify as medical exceptions to the state's abortion ban.

Persons: —, Kristi Noem, ”, Kelsey Pritchard, wasn't, Taylor Rehfeldt, anesthetist, It's, “ It’s, Greer Donley, “, Sen, Erin Tobin, ” Tobin, women's, Jonathan Skrmetti, Donley, “ That’s, Katie Cox's, Greg Abbott, Amy, Steven Bresnen Organizations: —, Republican, Dakota Legislature, Republican Gov, SBA Pro, U.S, Supreme, State Republican Rep, GOP, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, ” South, ” South Dakota Republican, Texas, Tennessee, Lone Star, Texas Medical Board, Texas Medical Locations: Tenn, U.S, “ South Dakota, South Dakota, Kelsey Pritchard . Oklahoma, Kentucky, Oklahoma, ”, ” South Dakota, mull, Tennessee, ” In Texas, Texas

After a yearlong investigation, Hur concluded that Biden mishandled classified material and improperly disclosed classified information as a private citizen. Here are four key things to look for in Tuesday’s high-stakes hearing:What will Hur say about Biden’s age and memory? (At 81, Biden is the oldest US president in history, though Donald Trump is only a few years younger at 77.) House Republicans are looking for Hur’s public testimony to provide fresh momentum to their sputtering impeachment inquiry into Biden. Hur’s approach will determine how easy, or hard, it is for lawmakers to extract the political moments that they want.

Persons: Robert Hur, Joe Biden’s, Hur, Biden, wouldn’t, Donald Trump, Beau, Barack Obama, seething Biden, “, ” Biden, ”, Jack Smith, Trump, ” Hur, Will Hur, Hunter, Steve Ruark, Mr, Biden’s, Hunter Biden, Robert Mueller, John Durham, Bill Barr, – Hur, he’ll, Biden’s feebleness Organizations: CNN, GOP, Justice Department, Republicans, National Archives, Department of Justice, Court, Ukrainian, Justice, Internal Revenue Service, White, Trump, Democratic, Capitol Locations: Washington, Tuesday’s, Israel, Florida, Ukrainian, Baltimore, Maryland, Russia

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