Tipsheet

House Republicans Give a Deadline for Transcript of Special Counsel Interview

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  February 13, 2024 5:45 PM

After the release of Special Counsel Robert Hur's report from last Thursday, House Republicans on the Oversight and House Judiciary Committees as well as House Committee on Ways and Means have demanded the transcript of the interviews Biden gave as part of the investigation. As Matt has covered, the White House has been particularly resistant to such a release. On Monday, however, the Oversight Committee made such demands further clear, providing a deadline of February 19 at 5pm. 

As a pinned post to the Committee's X account notes, the documents relate to an impeachment inquiry into the president. The Committees have also been highlighting a need for "transparency about President Biden’s mental state and his mishandling of classified documents." 

The letter that Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY), Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) sent to Attorney General Merrick Garland noted they "are prepared to compel the production of this material if necessary."

When the president spoke with Jordan's King Abdullah II on Monday at the White House, a reporter shouted a question about releasing the transcripts. Naturally, Biden refused to answer. 

He had, however, responded to a question as to if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "is taking your advice?" Biden had responded "everybody does," which, fortunately for Israel, is not the case.

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Even Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), who has provided quite the defense of Biden's mental faculties, told CNN that he thinks they should release the transcripts. 

"I think it would be helpful, I do," Goldman told Kaitlan Collins when asked if the DOJ should do so people "can read for themselves how that conversation went." 

Jordan also told CNN on Tuesday that his Committee expects Hur to testify, though they do not yet have a date on that. 

It's been a particularly busy few days for the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees, as they released the transcript of the interview from Hunter Biden associate Rob Walker early on Tuesday morning. Another associate Tony Bobulinski, who is mentioned in that interview, also appeared for a transcribed interview on Tuesday morning, where had had quite the damning information to share about the "Biden brand."