&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Biden sues DOJ over release of his ‘private’ conversation - Here's what we know about the case")
Former US President Joe Biden has sued the US Department of Justice in a bid to block the release of audio recordings and transcripts of his private conversations with biographer Mark Zwonitzer. The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday (May 26) in federal court in Washington, D.C., comes days before the Justice Department’s planned June 15 release of the materials to the US House Judiciary Committee and the conservative Heritage Foundation.
According to the filing, Biden’s legal team argued that the recordings contain “private, sensitive conversations” between Biden and Zwonitzer, which took place at the former president’s home in 2016 and 2017. The materials were obtained by the DOJ in 2023 after Special Counsel Robert Hur launched an investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents, Reuters reported.
Biden’s attorneys noted that the former president had “cooperated fully” with the investigation and that Hur ultimately concluded criminal charges were not warranted. The filing further argued that when the DOJ obtains private information during a criminal probe, it has a “particular responsibility” to protect it from public disclosure.
Five things to know about the lawsuit
1. Recordings linked to classified documents probe
Special Counsel Robert Hur obtained the recordings during his investigation into Biden’s alleged mishandling of classified documents from his time as vice president and senator, according to Forbes.
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2. Conversations were recorded for Biden’s memoir
The recordings were made at Biden’s home as part of the writing process for his 2017 memoir, Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose. The book focused on Biden’s consideration of a presidential run while his son Beau Biden battled brain cancer.
3. Lawsuit seeks to block disclosure to Congress and Heritage Foundation
Biden’s lawsuit specifically asks the court to prevent the DOJ from handing over the recordings and transcripts to the House Judiciary Committee and the The Heritage Foundation, which had filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking the materials.
4. Biden cites privacy rights
The filing argued that every American, including a former vice president, has the right to privacy regarding “personal conversations” held inside their own home.
5. DOJ had earlier resisted the release of the material
According to the filing, the Justice Department had previously argued that the recordings and transcripts were exempt from disclosure. However, under the administration of President Donald Trump, the department is now planning to release them on June 15.
