A political expert has noted that regardless of the conclusions, the forthcoming report on President Joe Biden’s management of classified documents will invariably benefit Donald Trump.
Election Anxiety
Special Counsel Robert Hur is expected to soon unveil his findings on Biden’s management of sensitive data. The White House is reportedly anxious about the potentially embarrassing implications for the president as the 2024 election approaches
Embarrassing Photos for Biden?
Although Hur is not expected to suggest initiating a criminal case following the discovery of Obama-era classified documents at Biden’s Delaware home and his past office at the Penn Biden Center, Biden’s team is apprehensive about Hur’s report possibly containing incriminating photos that demonstrate how Biden stored classified documents, Axios has reported.
40 Charges vs. Biden’s Documents
Ever since Hur’s appointment by Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Biden’s classified document handling last January, Trump has been consistently questioning why the president hasn’t faced criminal charges, in contrast to his own 40 federal offenses under Special Counsel Jack Smith’s classified documents investigation.
No Crime, Still Trouble
Grant Reeher, a political science professor at Syracuse University, has expressed that Biden’s team is justifiably worried about the political fallout from Hur’s report, even if it doesn’t suggest criminal misconduct, particularly if it includes embarrassing photos.
Trump’s Comparison Game
Reeher, speaking to Newsweek, highlighted that this situation feeds into one of Trump’s common defensive strategies, which is to draw parallels between his and others’ situations.
DOJ Conclusions
Reeher speculated, “I would even imagine some narrative to the effect that, if this is what Biden’s own Justice Department produces and concludes, just imagine how bad it really is.”
The Obstruction Factor
Grant Reeher also noted a key difference between Biden and Trump’s cases: Biden didn’t try to obstruct the recovery of classified documents and promptly returned them to the government.
Visual Evidence
Reeher, a professor at Syracuse University, says that if Hur’s report on Biden includes compromising visuals, such as photos of classified documents in Biden’s garage near his Corvette, it might be perceived similarly to the images released by the DOJ of classified materials in Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
Moving Secrets
Reeher points out that two of Trump’s co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, are accused of moving classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and attempting to delete subpoenaed security footage.
Equally Problematic
He suggests that to the general public, who often don’t delve into case specifics, both candidates could appear equally problematic, potentially aiding Trump’s narrative of equivalency.
Biden’s Silver Lining
“The one silver lining for Biden is that if the report is damaging, it does counter to some extent Trump’s charges that the cases against him are just political,” Reeher explained. “But in order to make that point, Biden’s team will have to draw attention to the special counsel’s report, which, of course, they won’t want to do.”
“So the silver lining I’m describing is rather hollow in the end.”
No Criminal Charges?
While Hur’s investigation isn’t anticipated to lead to criminal charges against Biden, despite the discovery of Obama-era classified documents at his Delaware home and the Penn Biden Center, the details of Hur’s probe have been largely kept under wraps.
Hur has made no public comments about his investigation, but it’s known that President Biden was interviewed by Hur’s team in October 2023.
‘Sharply Critical’ Report
The Wall Street Journal reported that Hunter Biden, along with roughly 100 of Biden’s aides, colleagues, and family members, were also questioned.
The Journal suggests that Hur’s report may ‘sharply’ criticize Biden and his team’s handling of the documents, but is unlikely to recommend criminal charges.
Downplaying Concerns
Sarah Bedford of the Washington Examiner reveals a potential photo from Biden’s office in Hur’s report, confirmed by the National Archives through FOIA. Previously criticized for keeping classified documents near his Corvette, Biden downplayed the concerns.
Election Looms
Trump, eyeing the 2024 election, may exploit Hur’s findings to equate his and Biden’s document mishandlings, especially after DOJ photos showed Trump’s lax storage of sensitive materials at Mar-a-Lago.
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