Biden battles Congress on classified docs as Justice Dept. says disclosing info jeopardizes probe

The Biden administration is battling with both parties of Congress as lawmakers attempt to obtain information about the classified documents found in his home and office while the Justice Department on Monday said disclosures could jeopardize the ongoing investigation. 

Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs Carlos Felipe Uriarte told House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) that their request for information about the probe into the classified documents is "central to the ongoing Special Counsel investigation."

The Justice Department's "longstanding policy is to maintain the confidentiality of such information regarding open matters" in order to protect equality in the "administration of justice," Uriarte said in the letter obtained by The Washington Examiner.

"Disclosing non-public information about ongoing investigations could violate statutory requirements or court orders, reveal road maps of our investigations, and interfere with the Department's ability to gather facts, interview witnesses, and bring criminal prosecutions where warranted," the letter states.

Jordan said the Justice Department has a "double standard" with the Biden administration and that the agency "is more interested in playing politics than cooperating."

Both parties in the Senate have also expressed concerns about being unable to access the classified documents discovered in the possession of Biden and former President Donald Trump.

"All things will be on the table" to ensure oversight occurs, Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, said last week, CNN reported. 

"We don't want to get into a question of threats at this point," Warner said when he was asked to elaborate upon his comments. "... It is our job to make sure that the security of our country is protected and that the intelligence that our country depends upon is not compromised. The notion that we have to wait until a special prosecutor blesses the intelligence committee's oversight will not stand."