Biden blocks release of audio from interview in classified docs case – National & International News – THU 16May2024

Biden blocks release of audio from interview in classified docs case.

NJ Senator’s corruption trial gets underway.

Putin, Xi herald deeper ties, efforts for Ukraine political resolution.

NATIONAL NEWS

Biden blocks release of audio from interview in classified docs case

Earlier this year, special counsel Robert Hur concluded his year-long investigation into President Biden’s handling of classified documents. In his report, Hur found that Biden had wrongly and willfully retained classified material after leaving the Vice Presidency in 2017. However, Hur concluded that it would not be worthwhile to prosecute Biden since jurors would perceive as “a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory”. Hur’s report also included other details that he believed pointed to “significant limitations” in Biden’s memory.

Republicans in Congress later summoned Hur to testify about his findings and called on the Department of Justice to release the full audio of Hur’s interview with Biden. After a review, Attorney General Merrick Garland concluded that the audiotapes fell within the bounds of executive privilege. Today, Biden issued a statement through his White House counsel asserting executive privilege and barring the release of the audio.

The Republican-controlled Congressional panel who had requested the release of the tapes has now voted to hold AG Garland in contempt of Congress. The contempt measure will later go to the full

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NJ Senator’s corruption trial gets underway

The federal trial of Sen. Bob Menendez, a powerful Senate Democrat, has begun months after investigators found $480,000 in cash and several gold bars at his residence. Menendez, along with his wife Nadine and three businessmen, are accused in a scheme in which Menendez would do favors for the three businessmen and the government of Egypt in exchange for bribes.

It appears that part of Menendez’s trial strategy is to shift much of the blame for the scheme onto his wife. It was announced today that Nadine is undergoing breast cancer treatment. Menendez’s attorney argued that Nadine kept the Senator “in the dark” on financial matters. However, much of the thousands of dollars found at the residence were in Sen. Menendez’s closet, stuffed into jacket pockets and even his custom windbreaker identifying him as a member of Congress.

In part, the prosecution alleges, Menendez and his wife used their influence to help one of the businessmen, an Egyptian-American, to monopolize importation of halal meat into the US. Menendez, formerly chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also propped up bills and policies beneficial to the Egyptian government. One of the gravest accusations against the Senator alleges that he passed on information about the staff of the US Embassy in Cairo to agents working on behalf of the Egyptian government through intermediaries.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Putin, Xi herald deeper ties, efforts for Ukraine political resolution

Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss deeper military, trade, and diplomatic ties. Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the resulting international sanctions, Russia has increasingly turned to China as a market for its oil. China’s support has allowed Russia not only to offset much of the damage from the Western sanctions, but even to grow its economy. 

The two leaders also reportedly discussed greater military cooperation in the form of joint exercises. These are a response to joint drills the US conducts with Japan, South Korea and other Asian countries as a deterrent to China. In recent years, Russia has also increasingly looked to China for a source of military technology and (indirectly) hardware.

Xi and Putin also discussed the possibilities for a political solution to the Ukraine conflict, with Xi pledging all the constructive support he can offer. Recently, China has offered to invest billions for post-war reconstruction in Ukraine. Despite the US and other Western countries funneling billions of dollars in weapons to Ukraine, Russia continues to strengthen its military presence in Ukraine and has even seen recent successes in new offensives. After over two years at war, Ukraine is also having trouble recruiting fresh troops. 

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