In a significant development, the Justice Department revealed to a federal judge late Monday that it possesses transcripts of President Joe Biden’s conversations with a biographer, contradicting earlier denials. These transcripts are related to the recently concluded criminal investigation into Biden’s handling of classified materials before he became president.

The special counsel, Robert Hur, issued a report in February describing Biden as “a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.” This report has prompted a surge of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and lawsuits aimed at obtaining records related to Hur’s investigation. These requests have come from various news outlets and conservative groups seeking to scrutinize Biden’s mental acuity and fitness for the presidency.

Concerns about Biden’s cognitive abilities were exacerbated by a poor debate performance against Donald Trump, leading Biden to announce on Sunday that he would not seek reelection. It remains unclear how his exit from the race will affect the Justice Department’s handling of the materials from Hur’s investigation.

The Justice Department has argued that releasing the audio of Biden’s interviews would violate his privacy, potentially lead to abuses like deepfakes, and discourage other witnesses from agreeing to recorded interviews. Biden has asserted executive privilege over these recordings to prevent House Republicans from holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to release them.

During a hearing last month, DOJ lawyers informed U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich that processing the audio files of Biden’s interviews with writer Mark Zwonitzer would be highly time-consuming. They claimed that the recordings spanned 70 hours and reviewing audio for classified material is more challenging than reviewing written material.

Justice Department lawyer Cameron Silverberg stated at a June 18 hearing that no transcripts from the special counsel existed. However, Silverberg’s recent court filing revealed that the DOJ had found six electronic files, consisting of 117 pages of verbatim transcripts, created by a court-reporting service from Biden’s discussions with Zwonitzer. Some of these conversations contained classified information, but DOJ policy barred pursuing charges against a sitting president.

In an unexpected reversal, the Justice Department reached out to Robert Hur directly after initially resisting requests from the Heritage Foundation to contact him about materials he used for his report. Hur confirmed he relied on the Biden-Zwonitzer audio recordings and a portion of Biden’s handwritten notes regarding a memo about Afghanistan.

Judge Friedrich has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday morning to address these developments. The Justice Department has indicated it will discuss with the parties seeking access to Hur’s materials whether Biden’s notes should also be processed for potential release.

The Justice Department’s admission of the existence of transcripts in the Biden classified material investigation marks a crucial turn in the ongoing scrutiny of Biden’s handling of classified information. As legal proceedings continue, the implications for transparency, presidential privacy, and the political landscape remain to be seen.

SOURCE: POLITICO

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., has escalated scrutiny over President Biden’s health, demanding that White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor appear before Congress. Comer’s letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, highlights concerns about O’Connor’s ties to the Biden family and their potential impact on his medical assessments of the president.

Following President Biden’s recent debate performance and ongoing public concerns about his fitness for office, Comer emphasized the need for transparency regarding O’Connor’s evaluations. In February, O’Connor deemed Biden a “healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male,” fit to carry out presidential duties. However, Comer pointed to reports suggesting O’Connor did not recommend a cognitive test, raising questions about the thoroughness and impartiality of his assessments.

Central to Comer’s inquiry is O’Connor’s involvement with Americore Health, LLC, a company linked to James Biden, the president’s brother. Allegations surfaced that James Biden received substantial payments from Americore without delivering promised services, including a $200,000 payment labeled as a “loan repayment” to President Biden. The committee’s investigation revealed O’Connor’s advisory role to James Biden in connection with Americore’s business dealings, potentially compromising his independence in assessing the president’s health.

Comer underscored the committee’s duty to investigate whether O’Connor’s medical judgments were influenced by his ties to the Biden family’s business interests. He cited O’Connor’s participation in meetings involving Hunter Biden and James Biden with hospital executives, further highlighting the intersection of O’Connor’s professional duties and familial connections.

The White House’s response has been inconsistent, with reports indicating Biden has not undergone a medical examination since February, despite the president’s assurance to Democratic governors that he received a recent clean bill of health. Comer’s letter challenges these discrepancies, urging clarity on O’Connor’s current role and his capacity to provide impartial evaluations.

In his demand for O’Connor’s cooperation, Comer requested a transcribed interview by July 14, along with all relevant documents pertaining to Americore and James Biden. The congressman’s actions reflect broader calls within political circles for transparency and accountability in assessing President Biden’s ability to lead, amid growing calls, even from within Democratic ranks, for Biden to reconsider his re-election campaign.

As the Oversight Committee prepares for potential hearings, the focus remains on ensuring that O’Connor’s affiliations do not compromise the integrity of presidential health assessments, a critical issue as the nation prepares for the upcoming election cycle.

Hunter Biden informed his business associates in late 2013 that a top Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader allegedly asked him to travel to China to discuss future “business opportunities,” according to an email obtained and verified by Fox News Digital.

In December 2013, Biden accompanied his father, then-Vice President Joe Biden, on a six-day trip around Asia that included stops in China, South Korea, and Japan. During the Beijing leg of the trip, Hunter Biden introduced his father to one of his Chinese business associates in the lobby of their hotel. This associate was accompanied by another individual, establishing connections that would later prove significant.

While in China, Hunter Biden attended multiple events with his father, including a lunch featuring some of the most influential CCP leaders. On December 5, 2013, Jonathan Li, the business associate introduced to Vice President Biden, emailed Hunter to ask about his experience in China. Hunter responded that everything “went very well.”

Hunter asked Li if he knew former Governor of Hong Kong, C.H. Tung. “He wants me to come to HK to visit to discuss business opportunities. He sat next to Dad at lunch with Premier and implied we knew each other, but I don’t remember him,” Hunter wrote. Li responded, “Very good, I can go with you to find out what he can do for us.”

“Troung” refers to C.H. Tung, a former governor of Hong Kong and billionaire who served as the vice chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) from 2005 to 2023, a former business associate of Hunter confirmed to Fox News Digital. The CPPCC is a key mechanism for multi-party cooperation and political consultation under CCP leadership, according to its website.

Fox News Digital could not confirm whether Hunter Biden visited Hong Kong to discuss the “business opportunities” mentioned.

In July 2014, James Bulger, chairman of the Boston-based Thornton Group LLC, which partnered with Hunter’s Rosemont Seneca to form BHR Partners, emailed Hunter about introducing their Chinese business associates to Tung. Bulger referenced a dinner where Hunter allegedly sat next to Tung and suggested Hunter send an email to Tung to discuss BHR’s investment targets and fundraising efforts.

Bulger asked Hunter to introduce BHR CEO Jonathan Li and committee member Andy Lu to Tung, emphasizing the importance of the meeting for their initiative. Hunter responded that he was willing to help but did not recall the names of the individuals who sat next to him during the dinner. He suggested drafting an email in Mandarin and English for his approval.

Fox News Digital’s inquiries to Biden’s lawyer, Bulger, Li, Lu, and Tung about whether Hunter made the introduction went unanswered.

Tung was listed as an “expected attendee” for state dinners at the White House during the Obama-Biden administration in 2011 and 2015. His role was significant in fostering U.S.-China relations, and he was praised by prominent U.S. figures like John Podesta, who referred to Tung as a “friend.”

In a 2018 report, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission described the CPPCC as part of China’s United Front system, which seeks to co-opt and neutralize potential opposition to CCP policies. Tung also founded the China-U.S. Exchange Foundation (CUSEF), aiming to strengthen U.S.-China relations.

Tung’s influence extended to Washington, D.C., where he developed connections with key figures, including President Biden’s top climate diplomat, John Podesta. Tung’s organization, CUSEF, targeted Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to understand the political power of Black Americans.

In 2009, Tung visited the office of Black public relations consultant Julia Wilson to learn more about African American history and the political dynamics that led to the election of President Obama. CUSEF paid over $1 million to Wilson’s firm between 2017 and 2023.

Biden’s attorney, Li, and the White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

SOURCE: FOX NEWS