Justice Department Responds To Jim Jordan’s Demands In Biden Docs Probe

The Justice Department rejected the House Judiciary Committee’s demand for records about the investigation into President Joe Biden‘s handling of classified materials.

Assistant Attorney General Carlos Felipe Uriarte issued the agency’Response to A January 13th letter was sent Chairman Jim Jordan (R.OH) and Rep. Mike Johnson(R.LA) sought documents and communications underlying this inquiry, which included the appointment a special counsel to investigate claims that lawmakers had made. “fundamental oversight questions” That is what you are. “routinely” Their panel will review it.

Citing “longstanding policy,” Uriarte claimed that the Justice Department was against sharing “non-public information” An ongoing investigation is essential because it provides the opportunity to conduct a thorough investigation. “could violate statutory requirements or court orders, reveal roadmaps for our investigations, and interfere with the Department’s ability to gather facts, interview witnesses and bring criminal prosecutions where warranted.”

Active investigations: Disclosures “risk jeopardizing those investigations and creating the appearance that Congress may be exerting improper political pressure or attempting to influence Department decisions in certain cases,” Uriarte was added. “Judgments about whether and how to pursue a matter are, and must remain, the exclusive responsibility of the Department.”

All that really was explained in detail in the new letter was an already-established timeline of events on steps taken after classified materials were first found in November at Biden’s think tank office in Washington, D.C., and later his Wilmington, Delaware, residence. This includes a review by U.S. attorney John Lausch and, on his recommendation, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Robert Hur, former U.S. Attorney, is now special counsel to determine whether “any person or entity violated the law in connection with this matter.”

The complete letter was published Monday Washington ExaminerThe Justice Department did not address specific records regarding the investigation into the special counsel or other records from the Justice Department or FBI. These records were also requested by Jordan and Johnson. Uriarte stated that the Justice Department would Follow regulations he cited as reasons for the agency’s limited ability to report to Congress, but he encouraged the GOP lawmakers to contact his office for further assistance.

“Our Members are rightly concerned about the Justice Department’s double standard here. After all, some of the Biden documents were found at a think tank that has received funds from communist China,” Russell Dye, Jordan’s spokesperson, stated in a statement. “It’s concerning, to say the least, that the Department is more interested in playing politics than cooperating.”

It is unclear if Republicans will escalate their showdown as they prepare for multiple investigations into Biden’s administration. Jordan CNN, last week The lawmakers “definitely looking at asking for documents via subpoena.” Among the concerns raised by Jordan and others are the prospect of unauthorized possession of classified materials dating back to Biden’s time as a senator and vice president.

Frustrations have also been mounting on the Senate side even as Biden’s team insists they are cooperating with the National Archives and Justice Department. Democrats and Republicans both serve on the Senate Intelligence Committee In a commotion, I left a classified briefing last Wednesday, with leaders of the panel arguing they were being prevented from performing their congressional oversight duties because the U.S intelligence community refused to show records at the center of the Biden documents scandal as well as records at the heart of a separate special counsel inquiry into former President Donald Trump’s handling of documents.

Over the weekend, Uriarte wrote to Senate Intelligence Chairman Mark Warner of Virginia (D-VA), and Vice Chairman Marco Rubio of Florida (R-FL). That letter was signed by Uriarte. CBS News ReportUriarte assured senators that the Justice Department was “working with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to support the provision of information that will satisfy the Committee’s responsibilities without harming the ongoing Special Counsel investigations.”