The audio of the then President Joe Biden’s interview with former special lawyer Robert Herr in the already closed Biden processing probe of classified documents was published by Axios on Friday.
The interview became one of the most notable and politically controversial parts of the Hur investigation, which concluded that there was insufficient evidence to blame Biden with criminal incorrect management of records after his Vice Presidency. In a final report, Herr called Biden, 81 at that time, “a nice, well -intentioned, elderly man with poor memory.”
While the transcripts of Biden’s interview with Herr became public last year, these excerpts are the first audio recording of the interview on the surface.
An employee of the Ministry of Justice confirmed the authenticity of the tapes to CNN.
Biden Kelly Skali spokesman told CNN, “The transcripts were released by the Biden administration more than a year ago. The audio does nothing but confirming what is already public.”
The audio comes as the questions about Biden’s physical and mental capabilities have returned to the spotlight. The upcoming book-The Original Sin: The Decidance of President Biden, his concealment and his catastrophic choice to start again “by Jake Tapper of CNN and Axios Alex Thompson-details describes the signs of Biden’s decline while in service.
Biden was sitting for interviews with Herr for five hours during a two -day period in the fall of 2023 as part of an investigation by the Special Council for its processing of classified materials.
In one, nearly four and a half clip, published by Axios, Biden was asked where he was holding documents on matters that “actively worked” after leaving his post as Vice President in 2017. Biden paused and said “I don’t know,” and continued to be at first glance, and at first glance, for example, that people, for example, and at first glance. The room.
“Which month he died,” Biden asked before pausing. “Oh God, May 30 …”
Two people finished the sentence of the then president: “2015.”
“Was 2015 he died?” He questioned Biden.
In a second Axios clip, Biden, when he asked him if he knew he had kept a note related to Afghanistan, first he said, “I don’t know I know. But when he pressed a further, Biden said,” I guess I want to hang on it only for the sake of the offspring. “
Shortly thereafter, a person from Biden’s team intervened and tried to clarify the president’s response.
“I just would like to avoid a pure recording, to enter speculative areas,” the man said, adding, “His memory, as I understand it, does not remember specifically intending to keep this note after leaving the Vice President.”
In February last year, Herh refused to charge Biden, but a final report said the former president “deliberately detained and disclosed classified materials”. The more politically harmful part of Herr’s discoveries came into his characteristic of the president as a “well-intentioned, elderly man with a bad memory” who would probably win over the jurors if he was chased.
Biden and his allies fiercely challenged Herr’s characteristics as inaccurate and unfair, including the pressing of a special advisor, raising that he did not remember when his oldest son Beau died in his report.
House Republicans sought interview -related records, including transcripts and audio recordings, in their long -standing Biden impeachment investigation, which ultimately ignited.
The Ministry of Justice provided a copy of the congress interview, but Biden stated the privilege of the executive power over audio records. House Republicans voted to hold the then-Attorney Merrick Garland, overwhelming to transfer the records, but the Ministry of Justice refused to pursue the allegations of contempt at that time.
On Friday, President Donald Trump told the Prosecutor General of Reporters Pam Bondi and her team will determine if the audio should be released.
“It depends on Pam [Bondi] And the group. I really didn’t look at myself, he said before Abu Dhabi left. “Everyone understands the condition of him. I know people who are 89, 90, 92, 93 years old and are literally perfect. But Joe was not one of them and they hid a lot. They were really playing games. And, you know, you can’t do it. Our country is on a bet.”
The best Democrats, including several potential contenders for 2028, have faced questions about the new revelations in the upcoming Tapper and Thompson book, including whether they know about the former president’s decline. The new round of control is coming as the party is eager to pass the 2024 election and focus on making a stronger confrontation of Trump.
Biden’s team gave up the book’s claims. “We continue to expect everything that shows where Joe Biden had to make a presidential decision or where national security is threatened or when he is unable to do his job. In fact, the evidence is the opposite – he was a very effective president,” a Biden spokesman told CNN.
In an interview with the ABC’s The View last week, Biden, who is already 82 years old, defended his time as a post and repelled the allegations that he had experienced a significant cognitive decline while in service.
“They’re wrong,” Biden said last week. “There’s nothing to support this.”
This story has been updated with additional details.
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