Mark Zwonitzer, Joe Biden’s ghostwriter, disclosed to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that he had deleted numerous audio records of interviews with the 81-year-old Democrat incumbent, partly due to the ongoing special counsel investigation. At that time, Special Counsel Robert Hur, a Department of Justice special counsel, was probing allegations that Biden had improperly handled and unlawfully retained classified documents after his tenure as vice president.
Some classified documents were allegedly shared with Zwonitzer in violation of national security laws. During his FBI interview, Zwonitzer was questioned about whether the special counsel’s appointment influenced his decision to delete the recordings, according to the transcript reviewed by The National Pulse. Initially hesitant, Zwonitzer eventually conceded that he “was aware of the special counsel investigation when that happened.” He confirmed that he had deleted several years’ worth of audio recordings from his interviews with Biden.
“The outside observer is going to look at this and say ‘Mark Zwonitzer, President Biden’s friend, ghostwriter, collaborator learned of the special counsel’s investigation, saw this happening, and then deleted all these audio recordings,’” one FBI agent said, pressing for additional clarity on the motives behind Zwonitzer’s actions: “I just need the truth on this one, but there’s some truth in that, that was what was going on. That was part of your motivation, at least something you were aware of when you did this?”
Zwonitzer tacitly admitted that the investigation had influenced his decision to some extent, though he declined to specify how much it affected him. “I’m not going to say how much of the percentage it was of my motivation,” he stated. Despite the admissions, Hur ultimately decided not to charge Zwonitzer with obstruction of justice.
Hur, a former U.S. attorney appointed during the Trump administration, was chosen as a special counsel to investigate certain aspects of Biden’s handling of classified documents. The investigation was initiated after classified documents dating back to his time as vice president were discovered at Biden’s home in Delaware and at an office in Washington, D.C. Hur was tasked with determining if any criminal wrongdoing had taken place in the handling of these documents.
Hur ultimately recommended no criminal charges against Biden. He noted that Biden appeared to be a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” which complicated the potential for a successful prosecution. The investigation’s findings were politically charged, sparking debates about Biden’s cognitive abilities and the fairness of the legal probes compared to similar cases involving other political figures, such as former President Donald Trump.
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule this month on Trump’s claims of presidential immunity regarding actions for which he was charged in federal court in Washington, D.C., and in Florida. The former is related to allegations he attempted to ‘interfere’ with the results of the 2020 election, and the latter is for his own handling and possession of classified documents.
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