President Joe Biden's effort to prevent the Trump administration from handing over audio recordings made with his ghostwriter to a conservative group was rejected by a federal judge on Friday.
Ruling Details
U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich determined that the public's interest in the material outweighed any privacy concerns Biden might have. The recordings were obtained by Special Counsel Robert Hur during an investigation into whether Biden improperly retained classified documents while serving as senator and vice president. Republicans in Congress demanded the recordings after Hur decided not to charge Biden.
Biden's Democratic administration initially refused to release the 2017 recordings and transcripts, leading congressional Republicans to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt. The Department of Justice under Donald Trump authorized the release, prompting Biden to sue last month to block it.
Privacy Concerns
Biden argued that releasing the recordings would invade his privacy, as they include discussions of sensitive personal matters, such as the death of his older son, Beau Biden. However, Judge Friedrich noted that the administration had redacted such material. She wrote that the materials “contain no mention of highly sensitive topics like illness or death, nor do they mention any non-public persons, including members of Biden’s family.”
Representatives for Biden did not immediately comment but requested that Friedrich bar the release while they appeal her decision. The Justice Department also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Friedrich, nominated by Trump in 2017, presided over the case. The recordings were requested by a staffer at the conservative Heritage Foundation.
