By Blessing Nweke
Former U.S. President Joe Biden filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of Justice on Tuesday, seeking to stop the release of audio recordings and transcripts from private conversations with his memoir ghostwriter.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., challenges the Justice Department’s decision to release Biden’s interviews with writer Mark Zwonitzer, who assisted with the 2017 memoir Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose. The materials were requested through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit brought by the conservative Heritage Foundation.
According to Biden’s attorney, Amy Jeffress, the Justice Department initially argued the records were exempt from disclosure. However, during President Donald Trump’s second term, the department reversed its position and informed Biden in February that it intended to release the recordings and transcripts.
The lawsuit states that the Office of the Deputy Attorney General later confirmed the materials would be released to the Heritage Foundation and Congress on June 15, with limited redactions.
Biden argues the interviews contain deeply personal conversations recorded inside his home, including reflections on the death of his son Beau Biden and major events in his political career. His legal team says such discussions are protected under privacy exemptions within FOIA law.
The requested materials were also connected to former special counsel Robert Hur’s 2023 investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents. Hur ultimately declined to bring criminal charges but described Biden in his report as struggling with memory lapses.
Without court intervention, the records are scheduled for release on June 15.
Original article
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