Biden — asked about his predecessor’s stance after a judge released a heavily redacted version of the feds’ affidavit seeking the investigation — quipped to reporters, “I just want you to know that I’ve declassified everything in the world. “I’m president, I can do — come on,” Biden said as he left the White House for the weekend. Biden scoffed at Trump’s claim that he had declassified all the documents obtained at Mar-a-Lago. Reuters Pressed further on the case, he quickly added, “I’m not going to comment because I don’t know the details. “I don’t want to know,” Biden added. The president was asked to comment on Trump’s claim that sweeping federal powers allowed him to declassify any government document he brought with him to his palatial home. Biden’s sarcastic comment was the most substantive of the investigation he has made to date, as he and his staff have insisted the Justice Department raid is independent of the administration. Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on the affidavit. AFP via Getty Images White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre echoed that sentiment Friday at a regularly scheduled press briefing. “We feel it’s not appropriate to comment on that,” he said when asked about allegations that Trump improperly withheld classified documents after leaving the White House. “This is an independent investigation led by the Department of Justice,” he argued. “That’s something the president feels is important to do — for the Justice Department to have that independence. We’re just not going to comment.” Before the raid, Trump had been asked to return the documents. GC images The former president’s Florida estate was searched earlier this month by an FBI team armed with a warrant seeking classified documents. The 38-page affidavit shed light on some of the feds’ reasoning for the raid, including concerns that highly sensitive records were being held illegally at Mar-a-Lago. Jean-Pierre refused to address the concern. “We’re not going to comment on any underlying material, any content related to an ongoing investigation,” he said. “This is an independent investigation, a legal investigation that the Department of Justice has the independence to conduct and we do not think it is appropriate to comment,” the spokeswoman added. The decision to give the DOJ broad latitude comes amid allegations by Republicans that federal law enforcement has been selective in enforcing the law in favor of the Biden family. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley accused the Justice Department in July of downgrading “highly credible whistleblowers” in an effort to cover for President Biden’s son, Hunter, who had been tainted by the scandals. In an open letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland, Grassley accused the DOJ and FBI of presenting alleged evidence of Hunter Biden wrongdoing as “disinformation” — and shutting down an investigation into the first son’s activities . “Attorney General Garland and Director Wray, simply put, based on the allegations I have received from multiple whistleblowers, you have systemic and existential problems in your agencies,” wrote the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Grassley called for an investigation and release of any documents related to the alleged investigative denials. He insisted the allegations were so serious, they would prove – if confirmed – that both offices were “institutionally corrupt at their core”. Grassley’s claims have not been independently verified by The Post.
