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News / Nation & World

Republicans seek charges against Biden’s ghostwriter

Jordan: Zwonitzer withholding records needed for probe

By FARNOUSH AMIRI, Associated Press
Published: June 27, 2024, 5:05pm

WASHINGTON — House Republicans advanced a resolution Thursday that would hold President Joe Biden’s ghostwriter in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over records related to the special counsel investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents.

The House Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to recommend contempt charges against Mark Zwonitzer, who worked with Biden on his two memoirs and through him was exposed to material that was deemed classified. The committee action paves the way for a possible floor vote by the House to refer Zwonitzer for criminal contempt.

Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, the chair of the Judiciary committee, issued a subpoena to Zwonitzer in March after he had refused to voluntarily turn over documents, including audio, video and transcripts of his interviews with Biden for the 2007 book “Promises to Keep” and 2017’s “Promise Me, Dad.”

“Zwonitzer continues to withhold all documents and materials in his possession that are responsive to the subpoena from the Committee,” the resolution states. “The materials requested from Zwonitzer are crucial for the Committee’s understanding of the manner and extent of President Biden’s mishandling and unlawful disclosure of classified materials.”

The contempt proceedings are the latest Republican legal salvo against Biden and his family. Earlier this month, Republicans voted to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt for his refusal to turn over audio from the special counsel interview with Biden. The White House had blocked the release of the audio weeks earlier by invoking executive privilege. It said Republicans in Congress only wanted the recordings “to chop them up” and use them for political purposes.

In a letter to Jordan on Tuesday, White House counsel Ed Siskel accused Republicans of not engaging with officials to accommodate their request before targeting Zwonitzer publicly.

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