Ex-Special Counsel Robert Hur testified on Tuesday that he ‘did not exonerate’ President Biden in his report detailing the investigation into mishandling of classified records, repeatedly shutting down Democrat lawmakers’ characterizations.

Hur, who resigned as special counsel after releasing his report that found Biden willfully retained classified records but did not bring charges against him, testified publicly Tuesday for House members.

Democrats seized on the fact that Hur did not bring charges against the president, saying he exonerated the president completely.

‘President Biden acted responsibly, cooperated completely, and the decision to … decline criminal charges was relatively straightforward,’ the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said Tuesday morning. ‘The report represents the complete and total exoneration of President Biden.’

‘The special counsel exonerates President Biden,’ said Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., also said Hur ‘exonerated him.’

But Hur pushed back.

‘I did not exonerate him,’ Hur told Jayapal. ‘That word does not appear in my report.’

When questioned about Nadler and Raskin’s characterizations of his report as an ‘exoneration,’ Hur fired back again.

‘That is not what my report does,’ Hur testified.

When asked again if his report is a ‘total and complete exoneration,’ Hur said ‘that is not what the report says.’

When asked if the ranking members’ statements were incorrect, Hur replied, ‘Yes.’

‘The word exoneration does not appear anywhere in my report, and that is not my conclusion,’ Hur said.

Later, Hur again testified that his report ‘is not an exhaustive exoneration.’

Hur explained on Tuesday why he did not bring charges against the president despite the willful retention of classified records about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan and other countries, among other records related to national security and foreign policy, which Hur said implicated ‘sensitive intelligence sources and methods.’

‘My team and I conducted a thorough, independent investigation,’ he testified. ‘We identified evidence that the president willfully retained classified materials after the end of his vice presidency, when he was a private citizen.’

‘This evidence included an audio-recorded conversation during which Mr. Biden told his ghostwriter that he had ‘just found all the classified stuff downstairs.’ When Mr. Biden said this, he was a private citizen speaking to his ghostwriter in his private rental home in Virginia,’ Hur continued. ‘We also identified other recorded conversations during which Mr. Biden read classified information aloud to his ghostwriter.’

He added that ‘we did not, however, identify evidence that rose to the level of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Because the evidence fell short of that standard, I declined to recommend criminal charges against Mr. Biden.’ 

But Hur said he ‘needed to explain why’ he declined prosecution. 

‘I had to consider the president’s memory and overall mental state and how a jury likely would perceive his memory and mental state in a criminal trial,’ Hur testified. ‘These are the types of issues prosecutors analyze every day. And because these issues were important to my ultimate decision, I had to include a discussion of them in my report to the attorney general.’

Hur in his report described Biden as a ‘sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory’ – a description that has raised significant concerns for Biden’s 2024 reelection campaign.

‘The evidence and the president himself put his memory squarely at issue. We interviewed the president and asked him about his recorded statement, ‘I just found all the classified stuff downstairs.’ He told us that he didn’t remember saying that to his ghostwriter,’ Hur said. ‘He also said he didn’t remember finding any classified material in his home after his vice presidency. And he didn’t remember anything about how classified documents about Afghanistan made their way into his garage.’

Hur defended himself by saying his assessment in the report ‘about the relevance of the president’s memory was necessary and accurate and fair.’

‘Most importantly, what I wrote is what I believe the evidence shows and what I expect jurors would perceive and believe. I did not sanitize my explanation, nor did I disparage the president unfairly,’ he testified. ‘I explained to the attorney general my decision and the reasons for it. That’s what I was required to do.’

Garrett Ziegler, a one-time aide to former President Trump who is being sued by Hunter Biden for publishing the contents of his infamous laptop, is seeking to have a judge who was appointed by President Biden removed from the case. Ziegler argues that the outcome of the lawsuit not only has implications for the congressional impeachment inquiry, but also the 2024 election. 

In a recent motion in U.S. District Court for Central California, Ziegler’s attorney, Robert Tyler, requested that Judge Hernán D. Vera recuse himself from the case because his ‘impartiality will be reasonably questioned.’ Vera made donations to Joe Biden’s campaign for president in 2020. He also was appointed to his position by President Biden just three months before Hunter Biden filed the lawsuit against Ziegler and one day after then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., announced a presidential impeachment inquiry had commenced in Congress. 

Tyler emphasized that he is not arguing against Vera’s integrity and assumes the court system assigned the judge to Hunter Biden’s lawsuit at random. 

‘But there’s something called forum shopping that lawyers do,’ he told Fox News Digital. ‘And here’s a case where our client resides in Illinois, he has no contact with California such that California should have any jurisdiction over this case, yet Hunter Biden’s lawyers filed this lawsuit to the Central District of California just shortly after Judge Vera’s appointed.’ 

Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s legal team for comment on Tuesday.

The relief requested in Hunter Biden’s complaint would prevent and inhibit the public, media and Congress from accessing highly relevant evidence to the impeachment inquiry of President Biden, the motion says. Ziegler’s attorney further argued that Vera must recuse himself from the case ‘because the district court rulings in this case may affect the impeachment inquiry along with the future presidency of Joseph Biden, toward which Judge Vera made a financial investment and for which Judge Vera has an obvious interest and affinity.’ 

‘The availability of the information from the Hunter Biden laptop is incredibly important so that we don’t have 2020 all over again where somehow the Biden laptop is brushed under the rug and ignored or worse yet, it’s censored,’ Tyler told Fox News Digital on Tuesday, referring to how the Hunter Biden laptop story was dismissed as ‘Russian disinformation’ by a large portion of the media and suppressed by social media platforms. ‘That’s important I think not only to the presidential impeachment inquiry but also to the election.’ 

Tyler’s motion criticizes how Hunter Biden filed the lawsuit against Ziegler, his company – Marco Polo USA – and 10 unidentified associates in September 2023, in the middle of his father’s re-election campaign and nearly three years after the dissemination of files emanating from the laptop he ‘abandoned’ at a Delaware computer repair shop. The repair shop owner turned the laptop over to the FBI on or around October 2019 after discovering its ‘disturbing materials,’ the motion notes.

Hunter Biden’s lawsuit accused Ziegler and others of spreading ‘tens of thousands of emails, thousands of photos, and dozens of videos and recordings’ that were considered ‘pornographic’ on the laptop. The lawsuit describes Ziegler as a ‘zealot who has waged a sustained, unhinged and obsessed campaign’ against the entire Biden family for over two years to ‘advance his right-wing agenda’ and spent hours ‘accessing, tampering with, manipulating or copying’ Hunter Biden’s data with his associates.

The lawsuit seeks a jury trial based on the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and California’s Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act. 

Ziegler’s attorney counters that the former Trump aide and associates ‘prepared a credible investigative report,’ known as the ‘Report on the Biden Laptop,’ not to wage a campaign against Hunter Biden, but to ‘expose instances of foreign compromise’ by Hunter Biden and his father, President Biden, which are ‘matters of great public interest and concern.’ In preparing the report, Ziegler relied on copies of files from the laptop that ‘had already been widely circulated since at least October 2020 to numerous media outlets,’ Tyler wrote. 

The motion states that Ziegler’s website with the Biden laptop report has been accessed by over 5 million Americans since its inception in June 2023 and more than 8 million Americans have accessed the free digital version of the report made available in November 2022. 

‘Millions upon millions of visitors have come to this website for information,’ Tyler said. ‘The information on this website is not altered except to the extent to black out genitals. Other than that, the content of the website, according to my client, has not been altered or manipulated, and so this information is critical, I believe, to the availability for the public, for the media and for Congress itself to be able to access and determine whether or not this president is one we should bring back in 2024, 2025.’

Tyler noted how Marco Polo provided background research to the House Oversight, Judiciary and Ways and Means Committees related to the Biden impeachment inquiry. 

During a recent House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing related to Hunter Biden’s refusal to attend a congressional deposition pertaining to his father’s impeachment inquiry, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., presented exhibits of evidence she received directly from Ziegler and other defendants, the motion says. 

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., then requested that the Democrats on the committee be provided the Biden laptop files. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., interjected that she can provide every Democrat a copy because ‘Marco Polo has the actual, entire publication.’ 

‘You mentioned you wanted to read some stuff, that would probably be something good to read, the Marco Polo Report,’ Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., added. ‘It’s public record.’ 

House Republicans are furious over ‘woke’ programs President Biden wants to fund in his $7.3 trillion budget request.

Biden released his 188-page proposal to fund the federal government on Monday. It lays out roughly $5 trillion in tax increases overall, which the White House said would be split evenly between corporations and the top 2% of earners.

A new memo by House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, highlighted billions aimed at green energy initiatives and equity programs.

Meanwhile, the U.S. national debt is currently just under $34.5 trillion and the federal budget deficit is $531 billion, according to the latest data.

The document pointed to $3 billion for the State Department to ‘advance gender equity and equality worldwide,’ as well as $1.5 billion for the Transportation Security Administration’s ‘pay equity initiative.’

It also mentioned $11 billion that Biden wants for the Department of Interior to ‘preserve the stories of the cultures and history across America.’

On climate change, Biden is seeking $8 billion for his American Climate Corps, aimed at hiring 50,000 new staffers by 2031 to ‘mobilize a new, diverse generation of… climate resilience workers,’ according to Arrington’s memo.

The Texas Republican also flagged $10.6 billion that Biden wants for the Department of Energy to bolster ‘climate and clean energy research, development, demonstration and deployment programs’ – a 12% increase from the previous year.

Biden is also seeking $1.5 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights’ ‘environmental justice efforts,’ as well as $500 million for the Green Climate Fund to ‘expand climate adaptation and mitigation projects in developing countries,’ the memo said.

The president also requested $90 billion to expand access to free community college, even after pushback from both the House and Senate on his efforts to broadly forgive student debt.

‘Budgets are more than just numbers on a spreadsheet – they are a set of values and principles – and based on his FY25 budget, it is clear President Biden values a bigger, more radical, and more powerful federal government over the freedom, safety and economic security of his fellow Americans,’ Arrington told Fox News Digital.

The budget is largely symbolic and has virtually no chance of passing the Republican-controlled House. 

However, it is a significant part of the president’s pitch to voters as he seeks to win another term in November.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Arrington’s memo.

A U.S.-Israeli citizen who was kidnapped on Oct. 7 while Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel and massacred hundreds has been confirmed dead, the Israel Defense Forces announced.

The Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum headquarters said it was mourning the slaying of Sergeant Itay Chen, who served on the Gaza border and was taken hostage on what is considered in Israel as ‘Black Saturday.’ Itay’s body ‘is still being held captive by Hamas,’ according to Israeli officials. 

‘We share in the profound grief of the Chen family. Itay Chen (19) was always surrounded by friends. A beloved individual who drew others to him with his warm presence. Itay loved the land, going on hikes, and was a senior instructor in youth movements – a salt of the earth person,’ a statement in his memory read. 

‘Itay was very attached to Gucci, the family’s pet dog,’ the statement continued. ‘He played basketball greatly enjoyed sports, good food, and listening to music. Itay was the middle child of three siblings. He had been in a relationship for over a year with Neta, whom he called the love of his life.’ 

As of Tuesday, there are 134 hostages who remain held in Gaza, and 34 of them are considered dead.

President Biden issued a statement through the White House reacting to the news of Chen’s death. 

‘Today, our hearts are heavy. Jill and I are devastated to learn that American Itay Chen was killed by Hamas during its brutal terrorist assault on October 7,’ Biden said. 
 
‘In December, Itay’s father and brother joined me at the White House, to share the agony and uncertainty they’ve faced as they prayed for the safe return of their loved one. No one should have to endure even one day of what they have gone through. At the end of our meeting, they gave me a menorah – a solemn reminder that light will always dispel the darkness, and evil will not win,’ he continued. ‘Today, as we join Itay’s parents, brothers, and family in grieving this tragic loss, we keep this reminder close to our hearts. And I reaffirm my pledge to all the families of those still held hostage: we are with you. We will never stop working to bring your loved ones home.’ 

Chen’s parents and an aunt attended Biden’s State of the Union address last week as guests of Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. 

Chen was on active duty in a tank unit on Oct. 7. The Times of Israel reported that he was last heard from at 6:40 a.m. the morning of the attack.

Chen was one of six U.S. citizens who remained held by Hamas. During his State of the Union address on Thursday, Biden said he had been ‘working non-stop to establish an immediate ceasefire’ that would last for six weeks to get all the remaining hostages released. 

Special Counsel Robert Hur is expected to testify on Capitol Hill on his findings following months of investigating President Biden’s mishandling of classified records.

Hur will testify publicly at the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday at 10 a.m. 

Hur, who released his report to the public in February, did not recommend criminal charges against Biden for mishandling and retaining classified documents and stated that he wouldn’t bring charges against Biden even if he were not in the Oval Office.

Those records included classified documents about military and foreign policy in Afghanistan and other countries, among other records related to national security and foreign policy, which Hur said implicated ‘sensitive intelligence sources and methods.’

Hur did not recommend any charges against the president but did describe him as a ‘sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory’ – a description that has raised significant concerns for Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign.

Biden has blasted Hur since the release of his report, saying his ‘memory is fine’ and that he is the ‘most qualified person in this country to be president.’

Biden also fired back at Hur for suggesting he did not remember when his son Beau died.

‘How dare he raise that?’ Biden said at the time. ‘Frankly, when I was asked a question, I thought to myself, what’s that any of your d— business?’

‘Let me tell you something… I swear, since the day he died, every single day… I wear the rosary he got from Our Lady –’ Biden stopped, seemingly forgetting where the rosary was from.

In his report, Hur wrote: ‘He did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died.’

But two sources familiar with the investigation said it was Biden who brought up Beau’s death in the interview – not the special counsel. 

Meanwhile, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio; House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky.; and House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., have demanded the Justice Department turn over the transcript and any recordings of Biden’s interview. 

The three committee leaders are leading the impeachment inquiry against Biden. They subpoenaed the materials last month. 

The Justice Department has not turned over transcripts or audio recordings of Hur’s interview with the president despite the subpoena compelling their production by March 7, a House Judiciary spokesman said.

‘We received a small production from DOJ, but not the transcripts or audio that we need and requested,’ a House Judiciary spokesman told Fox News on Friday. ‘Our staff has all necessary clearances to review the contents of the President’s interview, which dealt with materials found in unsecured areas like garages, closets and commercial office space. We are evaluating next steps.’   

A spokesperson from the Justice Department said, ‘The Department has been in touch with the Committees and anticipated responding to their subpoenas today.’ 

In a response obtained and viewed by Fox News, the DOJ added: 

‘We urge the Committee to join us in seeking to avoid conflict when there is, in fact, cooperation.’ 

‘Given this record, we are disappointed that the Committee chose to serve a subpoena less than three weeks after Mr. Hur’s report was transmitted to Congress and only seven business days after the Department made clear it was working expeditiously to respond in good faith to congressional requests on this matter. This compressed time frame is not reasonable given the standard interagency review process the Department explained to the Committee.’ 

‘Your subpoena is premature and unnecessary given the amount of information the Committee has already received and the Department’s proactive efforts to prepare for responding to congressional requests on this matter.’

Comer told Fox News Digital after the report was released that he wants ‘unfettered access to these documents to determine if President Biden’s retention of sensitive materials were used to help the Bidens’ influence peddling.’

Jordan, Comer and Smith are concerned that ‘Biden may have retained sensitive documents related to specific countries involving his family’s foreign business dealings.’

President Biden and former President Donald Trump are expected to make their 2024 general election rematch official on Tuesday.

That’s when the Democratic incumbent and his Republican predecessor in the White House are all-but-certain to officially clinch the two major party presidential nominations, as Georgia, Mississippi, and Washington State hold primaries.

With no major challengers left, both Biden and Trump are expected to collect all or nearly all the delegates up for grabs in Tuesday’s contests, putting each of them over the top and making them the Democratic and Republican presumptive presidential nominees.

Trump swept 14 of the 15 GOP primaries and caucuses a week ago, on Super Tuesday – which moved him much closer to officially locking up the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. And Trump’s last rival for the nomination – former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley – dropped out of the race the day after Super Tuesday.

Trump currently has 1,075 delegates. He needs 1,215 to lock up the nomination.

Fifty-nine GOP delegates are up for grabs in Georgia, with 40 at stake in Mississippi and 43 in Washington State. Nineteen more delegates are up for grabs in Hawaii, which holds a Republican presidential caucus later in the evening. 

In the Democratic nomination race, Biden has 1,866 delegates. The president, who also swept 14 of 15 contests last week, needs 1,968 to clinch renomination.

Georgia should put Biden over the top if he captures all 108 delegates up for grabs. Thirty-five Democratic delegates are at stake in Mississippi, with another 92 in Washington State.

Both Biden and Trump made campaign stops Saturday in Georgia, which is also a crucial general election battleground state. Georgia was one of a half dozen states that Biden narrowly carried four years ago as he defeated Trump to win the White House.

The rematch between Biden and Trump is the first for the White House since 1956 – when Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower defeated former Democratic Gov. Adlai Stevenson of Illinois as they faced off for a second time.