Former President Biden has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice seeking to block the release of audio recordings and transcripts of private conversations with his biographer from 2016 and 2017. The lawsuit, submitted in federal court in Washington D.C., challenges a planned DOJ release of the materials on June 15. The recordings formed a key part of special counsel Robert Hur's investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents.
The legal action comes as the DOJ prepares to provide redacted transcripts and audio to Congress and the Heritage Foundation, which sued for the material under the Freedom of Information Act. Hur concluded that Biden read classified notebook passages aloud to ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer, though the special counsel determined that memory lapses would make proving willful misconduct difficult.
Biden denies sharing classified information, according to the report. The former president's legal team argues that releasing the recordings would violate privacy and executive privilege protections. Representatives for Biden and the DOJ did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday evening.
The case raises questions about the scope of executive privilege for former presidents and the public's right to access investigative materials. The Heritage Foundation has pushed for transparency, while Biden's team contends that selective release could set a dangerous precedent for future administrations.
Legal experts note that similar disputes have historically been resolved through negotiated settlements rather than court rulings. The outcome could influence how future special counsel materials are handled under FOIA requests.