During Robert Hur’s testimony before lawmakers on Tuesday, Democratic Rep. Henry C. “Hank” Johnson from Georgia accused the special counsel of strategically launching a partisan attack on President Biden.

Johnson alleged that in labeling Biden as an elderly man with a poor memory in his report on the handling of classified documents, Hur was intentionally fueling the Republican narrative that the president is unfit for office due to senility.

Hur promptly intervened, rejecting the suggestion made by Johnson. He asserted, “Congressman, I reject the suggestion that you have just made,” emphasizing that partisan politics played no role in his work.

This heated exchange encapsulated the controversy surrounding Hur’s report and his decision not to criminally charge Biden for mishandling classified information, managing to stir dissatisfaction across the political spectrum.

Hur’s testimony before the House Judiciary Committee marked his first public remarks since the release of his impactful report in February, the Wall Street Journal reported.

House Republicans questioned Hur on why Biden wasn’t criminally charged, especially given their party’s likely standard-bearer, former President Donald Trump, faced charges for mishandling classified material and obstructing justice.

On the other side, Democrats, concerned about potential implications for Biden’s re-election campaign, focused on scrutinizing Biden’s October interview with Hur.

They aimed to challenge the special counsel’s characterization of the president’s memory lapses, seeking an explanation for what they deemed as “gratuitous” language used in the report.

Written by B.C. Begley