The Justice Department special counsel investigating President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents&nbsp;on Thursday (Feb 8) said they found evidence that he “willfully retained” materials but no criminal charges were warranted.&nbsp;

<h2>What did the report say?</h2>

“Our investigation uncovered evidence that President Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified information after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen,” said special counsel Robert Hur in his report.&nbsp;

“We conclude that no criminal charges are warranted in this matter,” said the report, adding that the “evidence does not establish Mr. Biden’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”&nbsp;

However, the long-anticipated report also criticised Biden’s conduct and handling of the documents saying that it posed “serious risks to national security given the vulnerability of extraordinarily sensitive information.”&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-classified-documents-case-trail-set-for-may-20-2024-months-before-us-prez-polls-618231">Donald Trump classified documents case trial set for May 20, months before US prez polls</a>

It added, “But addressing those risks when pursuing criminal charges, the only means available to this office, is not the proper remedy here.”

The US president had come under fire last year when his attorneys first acknowledged that he had been in possession of classified documents from when he served as the vice president in the Barack Obama administration from 2009 to 2017.

The special counsel’s 345-page report offers details about Biden’s final days as the VP and the years that followed. It further lists the reasons why he should not be charged with the crime.

The report comes after a yearlong investigation into the improper retention of classified documents by Biden, which included material about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan and other sensitive national security matters.&nbsp;

The investigators conducted 173 interviews with 147 witnesses, including Biden himself who was interviewed by Hur last October.&nbsp;

<h2>‘Well-meaning elderly man with poor memory’</h2>

Hur in his argument to not prosecute the incumbent president also said that he was concerned jurors would not believe that Biden “willfully” kept classified documents.&nbsp;

“We have also considered that, at trial, Mr Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” the special counsel wrote.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-biden-classified-documents-case-what-we-know-so-far-553247">US President Biden classified documents investigation: What we know so far</a>

Hur also directly compared Biden’s response to the federal investigation with former president Donald Trump’s saying that the incumbent president sat for interviews and was cooperative with investigators.&nbsp;

“Mr. Trump allegedly did the opposite,” the special counsel wrote. He added, “According to the indictment, he not only refused to return the documents for many months, but he also obstructed justice.”

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 40 federal counts that he allegedly retained classified documents and resisted efforts by the Justice Department to retrieve them.&nbsp;

<h2>Biden and White House welcome decision</h2>

The US president said he was pleased to see the conclusion that he knew&nbsp;would be reached all along and how he “cooperated completely”.&nbsp;

Biden also said that he was so determined that he sat for five hours of in-person interviews over two days on October 8 and 9 after Hamas&nbsp;attacked Israel on October 7. “I was in the middle of handling an international crisis,” he added.&nbsp;

The US president also insisted that the “matter is now closed”.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the White House said Thursday it was “pleased” by the decision but said “we disagree with a number of inaccurate and inappropriate comments in the special counsel’s report,” seemingly referring to Hur’s “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” remark.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The Justice Department special counsel investigating President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents on Thursday (Feb 8) said they found evidence that he “willfully retained” materials but no criminal charges were warranted.

The Justice Department special counsel investigating President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents on Thursday (Feb 8) said they found evidence that he “willfully retained” materials but no criminal charges were warranted. What did the report say? “Our investigation uncovered evidence that President Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified information after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen,” said special counsel Robert Hur in his report. “We conclude that no criminal charges are warranted in this matter,” said the report, adding that the “evidence does not establish Mr. Biden’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.” However, the long-anticipated report also criticised Biden’s conduct and handling of the documents saying that it posed “serious risks to national security given the vulnerability of extraordinarily sensitive information.” ALSO READ | Donald Trump classified documents case trial set for May 20, months before US prez polls It added, “But addressing those risks when pursuing criminal charges, the only means available to this office, is not the proper remedy here.” The US president had come under fire last year when his attorneys first acknowledged that he had been in possession of classified documents from when he served as the vice president in the Barack Obama administration from 2009 to 2017. The special counsel’s 345-page report offers details about Biden’s final days as the VP and the years that followed. It further lists the reasons why he should not be charged with the crime. The report comes after a yearlong investigation into the improper retention of classified documents by Biden, which included material about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan and other sensitive national security matters. The investigators conducted 173 interviews with 147 witnesses, including Biden himself who was interviewed by Hur last October. ‘Well-meaning elderly man with poor memory’ Hur in his argument to not prosecute the incumbent president also said that he was concerned jurors would not believe that Biden “willfully” kept classified documents. “We have also considered that, at trial, Mr Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” the special counsel wrote. ALSO READ | US President Biden classified documents investigation: What we know so far Hur also directly compared Biden’s response to the federal investigation with former president Donald Trump’s saying that the incumbent president sat for interviews and was cooperative with investigators. “Mr. Trump allegedly did the opposite,” the special counsel wrote. He added, “According to the indictment, he not only refused to return the documents for many months, but he also obstructed justice.” Trump has pleaded not guilty to 40 federal counts that he allegedly retained classified documents and resisted efforts by the Justice Department to retrieve them. Biden and White House welcome decision The US president said he was pleased to see the conclusion that he knew would be reached all along and how he “cooperated completely”. Biden also said that he was so determined that he sat for five hours of in-person interviews over two days on October 8 and 9 after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. “I was in the middle of handling an international crisis,” he added. The US president also insisted that the “matter is now closed”. Meanwhile, the White House said Thursday it was “pleased” by the decision but said “we disagree with a number of inaccurate and inappropriate comments in the special counsel’s report,” seemingly referring to Hur’s “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” remark. (With inputs from agencies)

Biden 'willfully retained' classified documents, but no criminal charges warranted: Special counsel

A special counsel of the US Department of Justice (DoJ), which is probing President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents after he left vice presidency in 2017, released its findings on Thursday (Feb 8).

A special counsel of the US Department of Justice (DoJ), which is probing President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents after he left vice presidency in 2017, released its findings on Thursday (Feb 8). In a 388-page report, the counsel said it uncovered evidence that Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified materials after his vice presidency, which included documents about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan, issues of national security and foreign policy implicating sensitive intelligence sources and methods. Also read | Tucker Carlson accuses Biden administration of 'illegally' spying on him to prevent interview with Putin However, Biden will not face criminal charges as the DoJ policy prohibits bringing charges against a sitting president. "I was pleased to see they reached the conclusion I believed all along they would reach – that there would be no charges brought in this case and the matter is now closed," Biden said in a statement on Thursday. He is seeking re-election in the upcoming presidential polls. Here's a look at the key findings of the report: > Marked classified documents about Afghanistan: The special counsel said that it found marked classified documents about Afghanistan in a box in Biden's garage in his Delaware home that also contained other materials of great personal significance to him and that he appears to have personally used and accessed. "The marked classified documents were found along with drafts of the handwritten 2009 Thanksgiving memo Mr Biden sent President Obama in a last-ditch effort to persuade him not to send additional troops to Afghanistan," the report said. > Notebooks containing classified information: Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recovered a set of notebooks from Biden's Delaware home. Biden used these notebooks as vice president and wrote down "obviously sensitive information" discussed during intelligence briefings with then-US president Barack Obama, and meetings in the White House Situation Room about matters of national security and military and foreign policy. Also read | Biden 'willfully retained' classified documents, but no criminal charges warranted: Special counsel "Some evidence also suggests Mr Biden knew he could not keep classified handwritten notes at home after leaving office. Mr Biden, who had decades of experience with classified information, was deeply familiar with the measures taken to safeguard classified information and the need for those measures to prevent harm to national security," the report added. > 'Poor memory': The document mentioned Biden's "significantly limited" and "poor memory" multiple times. "We have also considered that, at trial, Mr Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory," the report said. Biden, in an angry rebuttal, said his memory was fine. Also watch | US President Joe Biden gets roasted on memory loss, top Republicans say 'Biden unfit for Presidency' × > Biden's ghostwriter and destruction of evidence: "After learning of the special counsel's appointment in this matter, Mr Biden's ghostwriter deleted audio recordings he had created of his discussions with Mr Biden during the writing of Mr Biden's 2017 memoir. The recordings had significant evidentiary value," the special counsel's report said.

Key takeaways from special report on Joe Biden's handling of classified documents

According to the reports, aides to U.S. President Joe Biden have discovered at least one more batch of classified documents in a location separate from a think tank office he used after serving as vice president.

White House dodges 'critical' questions about Biden classified documents

Second batch of classified Biden documents found at new location, says report