House Judiciary subpoenas Biden ghostwriter amid classified records investigation
EXCLUSIVE: House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has subpoenaed Mark Zwonitzer, the ghostwriter of President Biden’s memoir amid the panel’s oversight probe of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into Biden’s retention of classified records.
Fox News Digital reviewed the subpoena, which demands Zwonitzer turn over all documents and communications with Biden or his staff related to his ghostwriting work on his memoirs "Promise Me, Dad" and "Promises to Keep," including emails, call logs and more.
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The subpoena also compels Zwonitzer to turn over all contracts and agreements related to his work, along with audio recordings of interviews and conversations with Joe Biden and transcripts of those conversations and interviews.
The president has claimed that he did not share classified information with Zwonitzer, but Hur’s report, released last month, states that Biden would "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 Zwonitzer "nearly verbatim."
"Despite President Biden’s unequivocal contradiction of these material facts, Special Counsel Hur’s report contains references to ‘audio recordings’ and ‘transcripts’ of your multiple conversations with President Biden ‘related to [your] ghostwriting work of Biden’s memoirs,’" Jordan wrote in the subpoena’s cover letter, obtained by Fox News Digital.
Jordan noted that FBI agents once contacted Zwonitzer relating to his work, and said he "provided investigators records that included near-verbatim transcripts..and audio recordings."
"Special Counsel Hur also noted that shortly after he began his investigation, you took steps to conceal some of these recordings and transcripts," Jordan wrote.
Jordan’s committee has been requesting records related to Zwonitzer’s work since last month, sparking a back-and-forth between the committee and Zwonitzer’s attorneys.
"Your attorney informed the committee you would not produce the documents without a subpoena compelling your cooperation," Jordan wrote.
The subpoena compels Zwonitzer to produce all requested material to the House Judiciary Committee by April 12 at 9 a.m.
Hur did not charge Biden or Zwonitzer out of his investigation.
Hur testified earlier this month that Zwonitzer "slid" files of audio recordings and transcripts of conversations with Biden "into his recycle bin on his computer" upon learning that a special counsel had been appointed to investigate the matter.
Jordan, during Hur’s public hearing earlier this month, asked whether the ghostwriter tried to "destroy the evidence."
"Correct," Hur testified.
"The very guy who was helping Joe Biden get the $8 million, $8 million Joe Biden used — the motive for Joe Biden to disclose classified information to retain classified information, which he definitely knew was against the law. When you get named special counsel, what's that guy do? He destroys the evidence," Jordan said during the hearing. "That's the key takeaway in my mind."