Now Democrats go to war with Biden for DOJ 'stonewalling' classified documents trends now
Democrats are now going after Joe Biden as the Department of Justice (DOJ) continues to 'stonewall' the Senate Intelligence Committee from reviewing classified documents found at Biden, Donald Trump and Mike Pence's homes.
While the Biden administration was anticipating the slew of House Republican probes, it was not prepared for the Democrat-controlled Senate to also target the White House.
The DOJ sent a letter to the Senate panel over the weekend trying to make nice with Senate Democrats, but Intelligence Chairman Mark Warner said the communication isn't enough to satisfy the committee.
'I appreciate the communication,' Warner told Punchbowl News on Monday night. 'But the subject of the communication doesn't give me clarity on how and when we're going to be able to fulfill our obligation.'
Democrats in the Senate are now at war with President Joe Biden's administration as the Justice Department continues to 'stonewall' the Senate Intelligence Committee from viewing the classified documents found at his residence
He also said that he has been pushing the Biden administration for months to provide a briefing and damage assessment – even saying that he has made these requests with the caveat that no information be shared that would compromise ongoing criminal probes.
Biden shrugged off a question about whether he would testify in his classified documents investigation if the special counsel asked him.
'Oh I don't even know about the special counsel,' he told reporters at the White House with a dismissive wave.
Special counsel Robert Hur, appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland on January 12, will begin this week his probe into how and why Biden had documents with classified markings in his possession.
DOJ legislative affairs chief Carlos Uriarte sent the letter promising to cooperate and work closely with the Director of National Intelligence to respond to the Senate Intelligence Committee's request 'without harming the ongoing special counsel investigations.'
The Senate Intelligence Committee's main role is to provide oversight of the U.S. intelligence community. This 'obligation,' as Warner puts it, is usually a routine and nonpartisan issue on Capitol Hill.
Democrats have joined Republicans on the panel demanding they are able to review the classified documents found in recent months at the homes of President Biden, former President Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence.
Senator Marco Rubio, the Senate committee's top Republican, said the DOJ letter was 'ridiculous.'
'We're not going to sit around here for weeks getting the Heisman from these guys,' the Florida lawmaker said.
Rubio claimed that the committee likely already has access to the information from the documents and said his patience is wearing thin with Biden's DOJ.
Warner and Rubio first asked for a briefing and damage assessment from Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines' office in August – just days after the FBI raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence.
They are livid that they were put off for more than five months now.
Senator Ron Wyden, a senior Democratic member of the Intel Committee, said the letter is a 'complete non-starter' and an attempt to 'stonewall' the panel.
'Just from a counter-intelligence standpoint — one of the most important aspects of national security — you've got to be able to see the documents,' Wyden told Punchbowl. 'This is not a close call.'
Republicans have threatened to block nominees and legislative action if the Biden administration continues this tactic.
However, Democrats, who are getting increasingly impatient with the Biden administration, will make the final call on how to proceed since they control the upper chamber.
Republican Intelligence Ranking Member Marco Rubio said that even the press have seen more of
