The White House said that special counsel Robert Hur's testimony Tuesday was enough to put to rest the classified documents matter against President Joe Biden and that Hur's decision not to charge Biden is evidence "the president is innocent."
"Case closed," White House counsel's office spokesman Ian Sams told reporters. He said Hur "came to obvious conclusion there is no case here" after interviewing more than 100 witnesses.
He said questioning from Republican lawmakers Tuesday made "it obvious they’re trying to help the former president," referring to Donald Trump.
Sams told CNN that Hur’s decision not to charge Biden is evidence “the president is innocent,” despite Hur explicitly saying Tuesday he “did not exonerate” Biden in his report.
“We have a presumption of innocence in this country — the job of a prosecutor is simple … you either charge or you don't charge,” Sams told CNN’s MJ Lee at the White House. “And so if that's the decision, and the decision is made after a 15-month sprawling investigation, looking at every possible theory, turning over every rock to try to find any evidence that they can, and the evidence does not support bringing charges, that presumption of innocence takes it to another level.”
Hur took special pains Tuesday to note his decision to not charge Biden should not be construed as an exoneration.
“I did not exonerate him. That word does not appear in the report,” Hur said.
The post was updated with more reaction from Sams.