Jordan: Eight Million Dollars. Joe Biden had Eight Million Reasons to Break the Rules.

During this week’s House Judiciary Committee hearing, Congressmen Jim Jordan (R, Ohio) questions Special Councel Robert Hur on President Biden’s retaining of classified documents and discovers the likely motive for his doing so (transcript below). Watch:

Congressman Jordan:  Why did Joe Biden, your words, willfully retain and disclose classified materials? I mean, he knew the law. In office like fifty years, five decades in the United States Senate, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, eight years as Vice President. He got briefed every day as Vice President. He’s been in the situation room. In fact, you know, he knew the rules because you said so on page two hundred twenty six.

President Biden was deeply familiar with the measures taken to safeguard classified documents, and Joe Biden told us he knew the rules. Mr. Armstrong said this earlier, Joe Biden was deeply familiar with it. You’re exactly right. because he told us when Jack Smith goes after President Trump, Joe Biden says, how could this  happen? What data was in those documents that could compromise sources and methods? It’s irresponsible. So Joe Biden knew the rules, you know, he knew the rules, and Joe Biden told us he knew the rules. So Mr. Hur, why did the break them?

Special Councel Hur:  Congressman, the conclusion as to exactly why the President did what he did is not one that we explicitly address in the report. The report explains by decision to the attorney general that no criminal charges were warranted in this matter.

Congressman Jordan:  I think you did tell us. I think you told this Mr. Hur. Page two thirty one, you said this: “President Biden had strong motivations.” That’s the key word. We’re getting the motive now. President Biden had strong motivations to ignore the proper procedures for safeguarding the classified information in his notebooks. Why did you have strong motivations? Because, his next words, because he decided, months before leaving office to write a book. To write a book, that was his motive. He knew the rules, he broke them because he was writing a book, and you further say… “And he began meeting with the ghost writer while he was still Vice President. There’s the motive. Mr. Hur, how much to President Biden get paid for his book?

Special Councel Hur:  Off the top my head I’m not sure if that information appears in the report…

Congressman Jordan:  Sure does. There’s a dollar amount in there. Remember?

Special Councel Hur:  I don’t. Maybe eight million?

Congressman Jordan:  Eight million dollars. Joe Biden had eight million reasons to break the rules. Took classified information, shared with the guy who was writing the book. That’s why he did. He knew the rules, but he broke them for eight million dollars in a book advance. But you know what? Wasn’t just the money. Joe Biden, here’s this is page two thirty one, very next page. Joe Biden in your report. Joe Biden viewed his notebooks as an irreplaceable contemporaneous record of the most important moments of his vice presidency. It’s written all down, for the book. for the eight million dollars. And the next thing you say in your report is, quote, “Such a record would buttress his legacy as a world leader.” What this is, it wasn’t just the money, wasn’t just eight million dollars. It was also his ego, pride and money, is why he knowingly violated the rules, the oldest motives in the book, pride in money. You agree with that Mr. Hur? You wrote in your report.

Special Councel Hur:  That language and it does appear in the report and we did identify evidence supporting those assessments.

Congressman Jordan:  You also had another interesting statement in your report. You said Joe Biden, let me make sure I get this right, viewed himself as a man of presidential timber. Remember that state and mister Hur.

Special Councel Hur:  I believe that does appear in the report, at least in the executive summary.

Congressman Jordan:  I think this is interesting. Because here’s the scary part. Page two hundred, said this earlier in my opening statement, page two hundred: Joe Biden, this is a quote. Joe Biden risked serious damage to America’s national security when he shared information with his ghostwriter. Shared with his ghostwriter, the guy who was helping Joe Biden get eight million dollars. And oh, by the way, Mr. Hur, what is that ghost writer do with the information Joe Biden shared with him on his laptop? What did he do after you were named Special Counsel?

Special Councel Hur:  Chairman? If you’re referring to the audio recordings that Mr. Zwonitzer wanted created of his conversations?

Congressman Jordan:  Exactly what I’m referring to.

Special Councel Hur:  He slid, if I remember correctly, he slid those files into his recycle bin on his computer.

Congressman Jordan:  Tried to try to destroy the evidence, didn’t he?

Special Councel Hur:  Correct.

Congressman Jordan:  The very guy who is helping Joe Biden get eight million dollars, eight million dollars Joe Biden used. What was the motive for Joe Biden to disclose classified information, to retain classified information which he definitely knew was against the law, when you get Special Counsel, what’s that guy do? it destroys the evidence. That’s the key take away my mind. That’s the key take away. I yield back.