WASHINGTON — Attorney General Merrick Garland informed congressional leaders Wednesday that special counsel Robert Hur has concluded his investigation into classified documents that were found at President Joe Biden’s home and office.
Hur is communicating with the White House about items that may need to be redacted because of possible executive privilege issues before the report is made public, Garland said.
Hur submitted his final report to Garland on Monday. He also "engaged with the White House Counsel's Office and the President's personal counsel to allow comments on the report," Garland said.
A White House official told NBC News it is expected that the review “will be complete by the end of the week.”
"As I have made clear regarding each Special Counsel who has served since I have taken office, I am committed to making as much of the Special Counsel's report public as possible, consistent with legal requirements and Department policy," Garland wrote in the one-page letter to Judiciary Committee leaders in the House and the Senate. "I will produce to Congress the report, its appendices, and the letter from counsel following completion of the White House's privilege review."
In late 2022, one of Biden's personal attorneys found classified documents at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement. Biden had used the center as an office after his term as vice president, and the documents appeared to be from the Obama administration.
"I’ve turned over the boxes," Biden said in January 2023 after the first reports of the classified documents at the Penn Biden Center emerged. "They’ve turned over the boxes to the archives. And we’re cooperating fully, cooperating fully with the review, and which I hope will be finished soon."
Later, classified documents were found at his home in Delaware.
Garland appointed Hur as special counsel in January 2023, saying the order authorized Hur "to investigate whether any person or entity violated the law in connection with this matter."
Both the president and his son Hunter Biden have been interviewed as part of the investigation.
NBC News has reported that Hur's report is not expected to recommend that charges be filed.
