In a testimony to lawmakers on Tuesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland expressed unwavering faith in President Joe Biden‘s mental acuity, despite the contentious findings of special counsel Robert Hur.
Hur’s report, issued in February, contained contentious and disputable characterizations regarding the president’s memory and age.
“As a member of the National Security Council and the president’s Cabinet, if you’re inquiring about my observations, I harbor complete confidence in the president,” Garland asserted during a House Appropriations hearing.
He continued, “I’ve witnessed his adept management of staff and Cabinet meetings concerning matters of foreign affairs and military strategy, navigating the intricate complexities of our contemporary world with decisiveness—issuing clear directives to the staff and exhibiting the necessary decisiveness in making pivotal decisions to safeguard our nation.”
Despite some Democrats criticizing Garland for not contesting Hur’s depictions of Biden’s memory in the report, which scrutinized the president’s handling of classified records during his time out of office, Hur’s report ultimately concluded that “no criminal charges are warranted in this matter,” as the evidence failed to establish Biden’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
However, throughout the report, Hur portrayed a bleak image of the president, one swiftly seized upon by his political adversaries, highlighting instances where Biden purportedly grappled with memory lapses, such as forgetting the conclusion of his vice presidency or the passing of his son Beau.
In vehement rejection of these assertions, Biden and his team staunchly rebutted the assessment. “How dare he even insinuate that?” the president retorted in a defiant press conference following the report’s publication. He continued, “I don’t require reminders of when he [Beau] passed away or that he’s no longer with us.”
Under questioning from lawmakers in March, Hur defended his portrayal of Biden’s memory, asserting that “my evaluation in the report regarding the relevance of the president’s memory was both necessary and accurate. I did not sanitize my explanation.”
Last month, Garland dismissed suggestions that he could alter or soften Hur’s report as “absurd,” positing that such actions would undoubtedly provoke more controversy than simply releasing the report as promised. He refrained from commenting directly on whether he found Hur’s detailed descriptions of Biden’s mental sharpness appropriate for inclusion.
In his most comprehensive personal defense of Biden since the report’s publication, Garland emphasized to lawmakers on Tuesday that he wasn’t aiming to directly address the report.
“Regarding discussions on domestic policy, these are intricate, convoluted matters that he has adeptly navigated to achieve results that are not only beneficial but crucial for the American populace,” Garland asserted. “I have the utmost confidence in the president.”
