This Thursday, after more information was revealed about the classified documents found in the Delaware home of President Joe Biden, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special prosecutor to work on the case.
When the first documents were found in Biden's private office in Washington, the Department of Justice appointed U.S. Attorney John Lausch to the case. However, after the discovery of the second batch and the growing importance of the situation, Garland appointed Robert Hur as special prosecutor.
BREAKING: Attorney General Merrick Garland announces appointment of special counsel to investigate Pres. Biden classified documents matter. https://t.co/1MEZgak5Vs pic.twitter.com/Y8gBbdKJmg
— ABC News (@ABC) January 12, 2023
"Based on Mr. Lausch's initial investigation, I concluded that, under the special counsel regulations, it was in the public interest to appoint a special counsel," Garland said during a press conference at the Justice Department. He added that the appointment "underscores the department's commitment to both independence and accountability in particularly sensitive matters and to making decisions guided only by the facts and the law."
A special prosecutor is appointed when the Department of Justice deems a matter to be of public interest and an outsider is required to step in and take responsibility. Hur will have some extraordinary legal powers to bring clarity to the situation surrounding the discovery of classified documents.
The White House's position
The second batch of classified files (dating from when Biden was vice president under the Obama administration) was found in the garage of the Democratic president's home in Wilmington, Del. The White House confirmed the situation and Special Counsel Richard Sauber stated that the documents have been handed over to the National Archives and the Department of Justice.
Statement from White House Counsel's Office on ongoing cooperation with the Archives and Department of Justice: pic.twitter.com/Dn3F8Oqggd
— Ian Sams (@IanSams46) January 12, 2023
The White House counsel's office made the decision to search Biden's residences in Rehoboth Beach and Wilmington, Del. after the first discovery of documents was made public earlier this week. While the files were found in early November, the White House admitted only Monday that classified material had been found in an office at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement.
Biden, who has called Donald Trump "irresponsible" for his alleged guarding of confidential files, has said he was "surprised" and has repeated that he is cooperating "fully" with the investigation. He also noted, "People know I take classified documents seriously."
