Special Counsel Declines to Charge Biden in Docs Probe, Cites ‘Poor Memory’
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Special counsel Robert Hur decided not to charge President Joe Biden over his handling of classified documents from his time as vice president, describing Biden as “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
The Details: In a 383-page report, Hur said his team’s yearlong investigation “uncovered evidence that President Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen,” but concluded that the evidence was insufficient to “establish Mr. Biden's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.” This included Biden sharing his notebooks with a ghostwriter. Additionally, Hur wrote that Biden’s age and “significantly limited” memory might make him sympathetic to a jury.
For Context: Most of the documents in question were discovered by Biden’s attorneys at a D.C. office and at his home in Wilmington, Delaware in late 2022; an FBI search of the Delaware home uncovered 6 more documents. Classified documents came into the national spotlight in mid-2022 after the FBI seized 103 classified documents from former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence, ultimately leading special counsel Jack Smith to indict Trump for allegedly attempting to withhold documents from the National Archives.
How the Media Covered It: Coverage across the political spectrum, particularly on the right, described the report sensationally. On the right, it was “damning” and “scathing”; on the left, it was “highly unflattering” and “searing.” Right-rated outlets often emphasized Biden’s memory, sometimes featuring articles solely on that issue. Meanwhile, some left-rated sources described Republican politicians’ reactions, using words like “seized,” “pounce,” and “political ammo.”
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Center
Biden Knowingly Kept and Shared Classified Material, Special Counsel Concludes![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-center.png)
![](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/styles/feature_image_300x200/public/im-923106.jpg?itok=wyMElKBt)
President Biden was sloppy in holding on to classified material related to some of his most consequential policy debates as vice president, eager to show that history would prove him right, according to a special counsel investigation that yielded no criminal charges but is likely to add a new dynamic to the 2024 presidential contest.
Biden willfully retained and disclosed to a ghostwriter classified materials while he was a private citizen after his vice presidency, including documents about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan and notebooks with Biden’s handwritten notes implicating sensitive...
From the Left
Special Counsel Seeks No Criminal Charges in Biden’s Classified Records Case![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-leaning-left.png)
![](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/styles/feature_image_300x200/public/08dc-bidendocs-ctzk-superJumbo.jpg?itok=7DAYoIV_)
The special counsel investigating President Biden said in a report released on Thursday that he had decided “no criminal charges are warranted” against Mr. Biden over his handling of classified material after leaving the vice presidency in early 2017, but had found evidence that Mr. Biden had willfully retained and disclosed some sensitive material.
Robert K. Hur, the special counsel, said in his highly unflattering report that Mr. Biden had left the White House after his vice presidency with classified documents about Afghanistan and notebooks with handwritten entries “implicating sensitive intelligence sources and methods”...
From the Right
Biden 'did not remember when he was vice president,' when his son Beau died, during special counsel interviews![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-right.png)
![](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/styles/feature_image_300x200/public/GettyImages-1845877069.jpg?itok=iD_ZMsqC)
According to Special Counsel Robert Hur's report on President Biden's mishandling of classified documents released Thursday, Biden could not remember key details, such as when he was vice president, during interviews with investigators.
Hur has been investigating Biden's improper retention of classified records since last year. The papers included classified documents about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan, among other national security and foreign policy records, which Hur said implicated "sensitive intelligence sources and methods." He announced he would not seek criminal charges against Biden.
The report, however, also contains an eye-opening...
AllSides Picks
![](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/styles/feature_image_300x200/public/special-counsel-robert-k-hur-79703405.jpg?itok=UsYLsn5x)
July 5th, 2024
![](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/styles/feature_image_300x200/public/1720055135192.jpg?itok=0UhTCpGa)
July 4th, 2024
![](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/styles/feature_image_300x200/public/33b82d88c93050dc871c451487c32558.jpg?itok=mS7JbP7j)
July 3rd, 2024
![](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/styles/feature_image_300x200/public/Biden-debate-dems.webp?itok=KPo5RiLQ)
July 2nd, 2024
More News about Joe Biden from the Left, Center and Right
From the Left
From the Center
From the Right
![](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/styles/news-thumb/public/04biden-abc-ztcj-jumbo.jpg?itok=vCya3_gB)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-leaning-left.png)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-leaning-left.png)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-leaning-left.png)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-leaning-left.png)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Left](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-leaning-left.png)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-center.png)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-center.png)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-center.png)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center AllSides Media Bias Rating: Center](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-center.png)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-right.png)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Right AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Right](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-leaning-right.png)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-right.png)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-right.png)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right AllSides Media Bias Rating: Right](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-right.png)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Right AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Right](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-leaning-right.png)
![AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Right AllSides Media Bias Rating: Lean Right](https://www.allsides.com/sites/default/files/bias-leaning-right.png)