Weekly Opinion Editorial
CONTRADICTORY STANDARD?
by Steve Fair
On Thursday, Special Counsel Robert Hur
released his report on President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents. After a yearlong investigation, Hur said
there was evidence Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified materials
when he was a private citizen. The
report took aim at President Biden’s memory and mental capability, saying: “We
have also considered that, at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present to a jury,
as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly
man with a poor memory.” Apparently,
Biden couldn’t remember dates and major events in his life during the interview
process. This should not come as a surprise
to Americans who have been paying attention.
Biden held a news conference attacking Hur’s statement on his mental
health, but during the presser appeared confused and befuddled, doing little to
contradict the special counsel’s report.
Hur, a Republican former U.S. attorney appointed by President Trump, did
not charge Biden in the mishandling of documents.
President Trump has been charged by Special Counsel Jack Smith for his handling
of classified documents. Hur’s reluctance
to charge Biden invoked comparisons in the two cases. Hur attempted to preempt comparisons to the
Trump case from the Biden case by stating, “Unlike the evidence involving
Mr. Biden, the allegations set forth in the indictment of Mr. Trump, if proven,
would present serious aggravating facts.” Three observations:
First, Hur’s comparison between the two cases proves the political
nature of the charges. It was highly inappropriate for Hur to mention
the Trump case in his report. Hur was
not charged with investigating Trump and his commentary was political, not
legal. Which raises the question: if
Biden’s actions didn’t warrant charges, what did Trump do to justify his? Some claim the difference is Biden cooperated
with Hur and Trump didn’t gee haw with Smith.
But Americans are guaranteed equal protection under the law. In the United States, there is a rule of law
and due process and a citizen’s constitutional rights are not based on their
willingness to cooperate with authorities investigating them.
Second, liberals seem to avoid charges more than conservatives. Biden wasn’t charged by Hur. Back in 2016, former Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton wasn’t charged by James Comey in her mishandling of classified
documents, even though Comey criticized her actions. Enforcing the handling of classified
documents laws equally doesn’t seem to be case in the U.S.
Third, Hur’s comments on Biden’s mental health hurt his reelection
chances. “Well meaning, elderly man
with a poor memory,’ doesn’t inspire confidence and will raise a red flag
to voters this year. Paul Begala, a Democrat
political strategist who ran Bill Clinton’s campaigns, called Biden’s Thursday
press conference attempt to discredit Hur’s observation, ‘terrible for
Democrats.” The president’s age has been
cited as an issue by over 60% of voters and Hur’s report does little to help.
Selective enforcement of the law is a breeding ground for corruption. The law in America is not to be administered at the discretion of the enforcer. Enforcement should be absolute, rigid, and inelastic. Applying contradictory standards to the law undermines America’s system of government and way of life. If evidence shows Trump violated the law, then the same law should apply to Biden’s case, no matter how muddled his mental state.
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