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Why are newly released Biden audio tapes drawing fresh scrutiny? Classified document remarks and memory lapses explained
Joe Biden is under scrutiny after audio from 2017 interviews reveals him discussing classified documents and appearing forgetful.
Former US President Joe Biden is facing renewed scrutiny after newly released audio recordings from his 2017 interviews with ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer resurfaced this week.
The tapes were obtained by the House Judiciary Committee and the conservative nonprofit Oversight Project after a two-year court battle. They feature Biden discussing classified documents while also struggling to recall details during conversations for his memoir.
The interviews were conducted for Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose, published in 2017 after Biden left office as vice president. Prosecutors investigated whether documents found at Biden's Delaware home and office had been improperly retained after his vice presidency.
The recordings had previously been examined by former Special Counsel Robert Hur during his investigation into Biden's retention of classified documents after leaving the vice presidency.
What do Biden's newly released tapes reveal?
In one excerpt, Biden is heard saying, “So this was, I early on, um, in '09 I just found all the classified stuff downstairs.” In another recording, he warns Zwonitzer, “Some of this may be classified so be careful with it. I'm not sure... It's not marked classified but—.”
Another clip captures Biden apparently discovering documents while reviewing notes. "The next thing I have here is, um, this is classified..." he says before portions of the recording are redacted.
According to CBS News, Biden also discussed meetings with the CIA, the White House Situation Room and Defense Department briefings during the memoir interviews. Hence, large sections of the released recordings remain redacted because they contain classified information.
The audio also contains several moments where Biden appears to lose his train of thought. In one exchange, he says, "Alright—what was I going to ask you?... Oh gosh. I can't think of anything else." In another, he pauses while reviewing notes before saying, "It's confusing me."
Biden boasts in a recording from October 10, 2016, that he kept some classified notes to himself. “I have extensive notes over this period of time… They didn’t know I have this,” he said, according to CBS.
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Why is Joe Biden facing fresh backlash?
The Oversight Project argued that the recordings show Biden displaying signs of memory problems years before entering the White House. Oversight Project President Mike Howell claimed the tapes reveal Biden experienced both "good days and bad days" as early as 2017.
Vice President Jeff Clark also alleged Biden disclosed classified information to someone without security authorization during preparation of his memoir. The group further argued that the extensive redactions indicate multiple discussions involving sensitive national security information.
The nonprofit said the recordings explain why Biden's legal team fought to keep both the tapes and transcripts from becoming public.
Hur ultimately declined to recommend criminal charges, though his report concluded Biden had "willfully retained and disclosed classified materials." Hur also wrote that Biden would likely present himself to a jury as "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory."
