Skip to main content

Chairman Jordan Seeks Documents and Testimony from Biden Ghostwriter

February 14, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C.Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) sent a letter to Mark Zwonitzer, President Joe Biden's ghostwriter, requesting documents, including any transcripts and audio and video recordings, relating to his work on President Biden's memoirs. Chairman Jordan also asked Zwonitzer to appear for a transcribed interview with the Committee.

Special Counsel Hur's report stated that President Biden read classified notes from national security meetings to Zwonitzer nearly verbatim on at least three occasions. Special Counsel Hur also noted that shortly after beginning his investigation, Zwonitzer took steps to conceal some of these recordings and transcripts. Despite this evidence, President Biden has denied that he shared classified information.


Excerpts from the letter to Mark Zwonitzer:

"On February 8, 2024, the Department of Justice released the report of Special Counsel Robert Hur's investigation into President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.'s unlawful removal, retention, and disclosure of classified documents by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., when he was a private citizen. Special Counsel Hur ultimately concluded that no charges were warranted against President Biden for several reasons—namely because President Biden would 'present . . . to a jury . . . as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory[,]' and because '[i]t would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him . . . of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness.'

"On the same day that Special Counsel Hur's report became public, President Biden held a press conference in which he delivered remarks and answered questions from reporters. At this conference, President Biden stated: 'I've seen the headlines since the report was released about my willful retention of documents. These assertions are not only misleading, they're just plain wrong.' Additionally, in response to a question regarding President Biden sharing classified information with you when you worked as President Biden's ghostwriter, the President claimed: 'I did not share classified information, I did not share it.' However, Special Counsel Hur's report unequivocally provides that '[d]uring many of the interviews with his ghostwriter, [President] Biden read from his notebooks nearly verbatim, sometimes for an hour or more at a time,' and 'at least three times [President] Biden read classified notes from national security meetings to [you] nearly verbatim.' Based on the information in Special Counsel Hur's report, President Biden's assertion that he never shared classified information with you appears to be false.

"Although the President has seemingly contradicted material facts about the contents of Special Counsel Hur's report, the report contains references to 'audio recordings' and 'transcripts' of your multiple conversations with President Biden 'related to [your] ghostwriting work of [President] Biden's memoirs, Promise Me, Dad and Promises to Keep.' In particular, Special Counsel Hur noted that once FBI agents contacted you relating to your ghostwriting work on President Biden's memoirs, you 'provided investigators records that included near-verbatim transcripts and . . . audio recordings.' Special Counsel Hur also noted that shortly after Special Counsel Hur began his investigation, you took steps to conceal some of these recordings and transcripts.

"In light of Special Counsel Hur's investigation and report, the Committee requires materials and information currently in your possession. Accordingly, to advance our oversight, please produce the following documents and information:

1. All documents and communications shared between you and President Biden or his staff or representatives relating to your ghostwriting work on his memoirs, Promise Me, Dad and Promises to Keep, including, but not limited to, emails, messages, and phone call logs;

2. All contracts or agreements relating to your ghostwriting work on President Biden's memoirs, Promise Me, Dad and Promises to Keep;

3. All documents evidencing payments to you relating to your ghostwriting work on President Biden's memoirs, Promise Me, Dad and Promises to Keep;

4. All audio recordings of any interviews or conversations between you and President Biden relating to your ghostwriting work on his memoirs, Promise Me, Dad and Promises to Keep; and

5. All transcripts of any interviews or conversations between you and President Biden relating to your ghostwriting work on his memoirs, Promise Me, Dad and Promises to Keep.

6. All documents and communications between you and President Biden or his staff or representatives referring or relating to Special Counsel Hur's investigation."

Read the full letter to Mark Zwonitzer
here.
 

###