Biden Sues DOJ to Block Release of Private Audio to Congress

Former President Joe Biden filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday, seeking to block the release of audio recordings and transcripts from private conversations with his biographer in 2016 and 2017. The legal action, filed in federal court in Washington D.C., aims to prevent the department’s planned June 15 release of the materials to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and the Heritage Foundation.

The recordings were made in Biden’s home as part of the writing process for his 2017 memoir, "Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose," which detailed his decision to pursue the presidency while his eldest son, Beau, battled brain cancer. These materials were later used as part of a 2023 investigation by then-Special Counsel Robert Hur into Biden’s handling of classified documents. Hur ultimately declined to bring any criminal charges.

Following that investigation, the Heritage Foundation requested the records in 2024 under the Freedom of Information Act. According to Biden’s lawsuit, the Justice Department initially fought that request, arguing the materials were exempt from release. The suit claims the department’s position changed, and it now...