Biden Once Planned to Fire Attorney Who Is Tapped to Investigate Classified Docs Scandal

U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois John Lausch will be leading the investigation of classified documents found at the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Biden Center, nearly two years after President Joe Biden nearly fired him.

Lausch has been in the office since 2017, when he was appointed to that position by then-President Donald Trump. Biden assumed office in 2021. At the time, it was reported that the president intended to fire him despite the fact that he was unanimously confirmed by his Senate colleagues. The news of the planned termination drew criticism from both parties, as Democratic Illinois Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin expressed dismay.

“While we agree with the Biden Administration’s criminal justice agenda, we are disappointed with the decision to terminate U.S. Attorney Lausch without consulting us,” the two senators from Lausch’s home state said in a joint statement. “In 2017, our non-partisan screening committee gave its support for Mr. Lausch to serve in this position, and the Senate confirmed him unanimously.”

Durbin and Duckworth added that there was precedent for individuals in Lausch’s position to stay in office after a new administration took over “to conclude sensitive investigations.” They asked Biden to allow Lausch to continue until a replacement was found.

DOJ TAPS TRUMP APPOINTED ATTORNEY IN INVESTIGATION OF CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS FOUND ON BIDEN THINK TANK

John Lausch, U.S. Attorney

Illinois Republican Reps. Darin LaHood and Mary Miller issued a similar statement at that time. They noted that Lausch had been involved in the middle of “pursuing a historic and major public corruption investigation involving a years-long bribery scheme that has implicated former House Speaker Michael Madigan and others.”

Lausch was ultimately spared and allowed stay in his position.

DEMS DEFEND BIDEN CLASSIFIED DOCMENTS HANDLING CALL OUTRAGE ‘REPUBLICAN HYPOCRISY’

Fox News reached out to the White House for comment on Lausch’s new appointment and the circumstances surrounding the reported planned termination and his remaining in office. They didn’t immediately respond.

Now, Lausch will lead the investigation of the documents at the Penn Biden Center – some of which were marked classified – that were dated from Biden’s time as vice president. Lawyers for the president stated that they immediately notified National Archives of the documents’ discovery and returned them to National Archives in November.

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“Since that discovery, the President’s personal attorneys have cooperated with the Archives and the Department of Justice in the process to ensure that any Obama-Biden Administration records are appropriately in the possession of the Archives,” Richard Sauber was the White House’s special counsel.