On Tuesday, Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) stirred controversy when he suggested that the ongoing investigation into President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents was simply a ploy to prevent the United States from providing aid to Ukraine. The comments were made during a hearing where Special Counsel Robert Hur was testifying about his interview with President Biden regarding the classified documents found in his possession.
Raskin began his remarks by framing the investigation as a “memory test” for all Americans, rather than just for President Biden himself. He then went on to warn that if the investigation continued, it would be a step towards embracing fascism, nazism, communism, and totalitarianism and that Americans had forgotten the sacrifices of previous generations to prevent these oppressive ideologies from taking hold.
The Democratic representative further compared the investigation to “silly” childhood games, suggesting that it was being used to distract people while former President Donald Trump plotted to retake the White House. Raskin also expressed concern that while the focus is on this investigation, Trump was welcoming authoritarian Viktor Orban to Mar-a-Lago for a weekend visit. According to Raskin, Orban declared that if Trump were to return to the presidency, he would not send any aid to Ukraine.
Democrat Rep. Jamie Raskin, delusional liar and conspiracy theorist, says Biden’s classified documents scandal is actually about aid for Ukraine pic.twitter.com/yPQnLf6PVa
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 12, 2024
However, Raskin’s heated comments were not the only dramatic moments during the hearing. Representative Jerry Nadler (D-NY) became visibly upset with Special Counsel Hur at one point, accusing him of filibustering and using up his allotted time by not providing yes or no answers to his questions.
Hur, who was appointed by Trump, had testified that he had found no evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden during his investigation. Hur also emphasized that he had not found any classified information on any devices belonging to Biden.
The investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents stems from an interaction with a Politico reporter back in 2019, where Biden had mentioned a call with the Ukrainian president and discussed corruption. However, the transcript of the call did not include any mention of corruption.
The controversy surrounding the handling of classified information is not new to Biden, as he faced similar scrutiny during his time as vice president in the Obama administration. However, there have been no formal charges filed against him, and he has maintained his innocence throughout.
Republicans pushed back against Raskin’s comments, arguing that the investigation was necessary to ensure that classified information was not mishandled. They also pointed out that Biden had been under investigation by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence for months before the current investigation began.
In response to the heated moments during the hearing, Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) accused Democrats of trying to distract from the real issue at hand – whether or not classified information was mishandled by President Biden.
The hearing ultimately concluded with no new developments in the investigation, and Hur was allowed to finish his testimony. It remains to be seen what the outcome of the investigation will be, but Raskin’s comments have sparked a larger debate about the use of fear tactics and manipulation in politics.
