US President Biden will not be charged despite allegations of embezzling secret documents in 2017. Actually good news for Biden. But the special counsel's justification contains comments that could become a problem for Biden.
US President Joe Biden will not be charged in the affair surrounding the storage of secret documents from his time as Vice President. Biden may have kept the documents “intentionally,” but criminal charges are not justified in the case, said special investigator Robert Hur. In addition, the documents may have been brought to Biden's apartment when he, as vice president at the time, still had the right to do so. However, similar charges have already been brought against Biden's likely opponent in the November presidential election, Donald Trump.
However, the special investigator's justification contains a number of statements that could become a problem for Biden in the election campaign. There are signs that the improper storage of confidential documents in Biden's private and business premises happened “accidentally.” Biden comes across as a “well-meaning, older man with a poor memory,” the report said.
Biden is 81 years old and his age is a constant issue in the election campaign. At 77, Trump is only slightly younger than Biden. But unlike Biden, his old age doesn't seem to have hurt him in the election campaign so far.
Lawyer criticizes “inappropriate statements”
Biden's lawyer Richard Sauber also criticized “incorrect and inappropriate statements” in the special investigator's report – probably with a view to the comments about “poor memory”.
Biden himself was “pleased” with the decision, which he had expected. The matter was now “closed,” the president said. During his time as a politician, he was “always committed to protecting America’s security,” Biden added.
Presidents and vice presidents are required to turn over secret documents to the National Archives after leaving office. They are not allowed to privately store confidential government records after leaving government. Biden was President Barack Obama's deputy from 2009 to 2017 before he moved into the White House as number one in the state at the beginning of 2021.
At the end of 2022, around a dozen confidential government documents from his time as vice president were found in an office formerly used by Biden. Further secret documents were subsequently discovered in Biden's garage and in his home in the state of Delaware. Attorney General Merrick Garland then appointed former federal prosecutor Robert Hur as special prosecutor in the Biden case.
Trial against Trump starts in May
The document discoveries were also explosive for Biden because Trump had caused a huge stir with a similar case and has since been indicted for illegally storing highly sensitive information from his time as president (2017 to 2021). The Republican is accused of storing highly classified government documents from his time in office at his private Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and not returning them when requested.
Trump is also accused of conspiring to obstruct the investigation. Trump pleaded not guilty. The trial is scheduled to start on May 20th. Trump is facing three more criminal cases in the middle of the election year. Biden had sharply criticized Trump's handling of secret documents before documents were found on him.
