House GOP chairs subpoena DOJ for Biden special counsel investigation documents

A trio of House GOP chairs fired off a subpoena to Attorney General Merrick Garland Tuesday requesting documents related to special counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into President Biden’s mishandling of classified documents.

The subpoena follows a Feb. 12 request from the top Republicans that Garland turn over transcripts and recordings of the interview Biden sat for with the special counsel’s office. The GOP lawmakers said the Justice Department did not produce any of the requested material by the due date because it was reviewing documents for classification and confidentiality, prompting the subpoena.

The group is asking Garland for transcripts, notes, videos and audio files related to Hur’s investigation.

“Special Counsel Robert Hur's investigation into President Biden's mishandling of classified documents made two things clear: there's a double standard of justice in this country and Joe Biden isn't fit for office," House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said in a statement. "The transcripts and materials from his investigation are critical to our oversight work."

House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) and House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) joined Jordan in issuing the subpoena.

The request from the GOP chairs comes exactly two weeks before Hur is scheduled to testify publicly before the House Judiciary Committee about his investigation into the president’s handling of classified documents.

Hur’s final report, released earlier this month, concluded that Biden “willfully” retained classified documents, but stopped short of bringing charges against the president. The special counsel did, however, describe Biden as an “elderly man with a poor memory,” which sparked criticism from Democrats who said the report was gratuitous.