In an ongoing negotiation between the Justice Department and House leaders, special counsel Robert Hur is expected to testify publicly before Congress regarding the federal probe into President Biden's handling of classified records. Three individuals familiar with the discussions revealed that officials are targeting a time frame in late February or early March for Hur's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, although negotiations are still underway to finalize the exact date.

Should the testimony occur, it would mark Hur's first public remarks on the probe, following recent precedent set by special counsel Robert Mueller. After overseeing a two-year investigation into potential ties between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia, Mueller testified for over six hours before two committees in 2019 upon releasing his report.

Last week, Hur released his final report pertaining to his year-long investigation into the discovery of documents with classified markings found in President Biden's personal office and residence. The report concluded that neither President Biden nor any of his aides would face criminal charges over the documents, which dated back to his time as vice president.

While the evidence did not establish beyond a reasonable doubt that President Biden intentionally and illegally retained the sensitive government records, Hur's report highlighted that the president's handling of the documents could have posed "serious risks to national security." Instances were described wherein classified information was left unsecured in certain locations.

The special counsel's report, the result of numerous interviews conducted since Hur was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland last year, criticized President Biden's conduct and pointed out lapses in his memory. Prosecutors contended that these memory issues would have made it challenging to prove his guilt in a trial.

The White House, as well as President Biden's allies including Vice President Kamala Harris, have contested Hur's characterization of the president's memory. President Biden himself disputed these references, emphasizing the ultimate decision not to pursue charges. In his report, Hur acknowledged President Biden's cooperation during the investigation, as he turned in classified documents to the National Archives and the Department of Justice, consented to multiple location searches, and participated in a voluntary interview.

House Republicans recently requested the Justice Department to provide transcripts and recordings of two days of interviews conducted by Hur's team with President Biden in October last year. While the Justice Department confirmed receipt of the letter, it declined to comment further. President Biden's personal attorney, Bob Bauer, mentioned on "Face the Nation" that there is an ongoing process regarding the potential release of the transcript.

As negotiations continue between the Justice Department and House leaders, the public awaits the opportunity to hear directly from special counsel Robert Hur as he testifies before Congress on the federal probe into President Biden's handling of classified records.