Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee escalated efforts to obtain materials related to President Joe Biden’s handling of classified information by subpoenaing his ghostwriter, Mark Zwonitzer, The Hill reported.
The move followed revelations from special counsel Robert Hur’s report, which highlighted instances where Biden shared classified information during the development of his memoirs.
Hur’s report, released in February, shed light on Biden’s handling of classified material found at his residence and former office. It detailed instances where Biden discussed such information with Zwonitzer while collaborating on his second book, “Promise Me, Dad.”
According to the report, Zwonitzer initially agreed to provide recordings of his conversations with Biden but later deleted them. Despite the recovery of these recordings by Hur’s team, no charges were recommended against Zwonitzer or Biden.
The subpoena marks a significant escalation in House Republicans’ efforts to uncover the details of Hur’s investigation. In February, the committee requested transcripts and audio recordings of Biden’s interviews with the special counsel.
In a letter accompanying the subpoena, Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, expressed frustration on Zwonitzer’s shift in position. Jordan noted that the subpoena was issued after Zwonitzer’s attorney signaled a reluctance to cooperate absent legal compulsion.
Hur’s report concluded that while Biden’s handling of classified material was careless, no criminal charges were warranted. However, it raised concerns about Zwonitzer’s deletion of interview recordings, considering charges of obstruction of justice. Despite this, Hur acknowledged Zwonitzer’s cooperation with investigators, diminishing the likelihood of a conviction.
Zwonitzer collaborated with Biden on two memoirs, “Promises to Keep” in 2007 and “Promise Me, Dad” in 2017. The latter publication coincided with Hur’s investigation into handling classified material, prompting scrutiny of Biden’s interactions with the writer.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
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