In a recent development, newly revealed letters indicate a clash between the White House and the Justice Department regarding the special counsel report on President Joe Biden. The report, compiled by special counsel Robert Hur, focused on Biden's memory and his handling of classified documents. The White House, through its lawyers, expressed strong objections to the report's comments on the president's memory.

White House Counsel Ed Siskel wrote a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, expressing the White House's concerns about Hur's report. Siskel argued that Hur "openly, obviously, and blatantly" violated the Justice Department's own policies. This objection was not the first time the White House had voiced its opinion on the report. Months earlier, another White House lawyer urged Hur to make his final report "economical," aligning with Justice Department principles.

Despite this advice, Hur produced a detailed report that shook Washington with its descriptions of Biden's forgetfulness and its assessment that the president came across as "a well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." While Hur did not recommend criminal charges for Biden's mishandling of classified documents, the political repercussions were undeniable.

The White House lawyers reviewed a draft of the report and registered their disapproval. On February 7, President Biden's personal lawyer, Bob Bauer, joined Siskel in sending a letter directly to Garland, outlining their concerns. Although they did not request any immediate action, they made their objections known.

The lawyers received a response from Associate Deputy Attorney General Bradley Weinsheimer the next day. Weinsheimer defended Hur's report, stating that it aligned with legal requirements and departmental policy. He also emphasized that the report was of significant public interest.

Following the report's release on February 8, President Biden's lawyers continued to express their disapproval both publicly and privately. They criticized Weinsheimer's defense of Hur's report, accusing the Justice Department of violating its own norms.

The exchange of letters between the White House and the Justice Department highlights the extensive divide over Hur's report. President Biden, who had campaigned on restoring the Justice Department's independence and adherence to norms, expressed frustration with Attorney General Garland. The White House's accusations of violated norms by the department further accentuate this division.

The exact details of the White House's objections, as well as the response from the Justice Department, were revealed through the letters obtained by POLITICO. These documents shed light on the extent of the disagreement between the two entities.

Spokespersons for the White House and the Justice Department declined to provide comments on the matter. Bauer also refrained from commenting through a spokesperson.

The clash over Hur's report reflects the larger debate surrounding the role of special counsels and the application of Justice Department regulations. Richard Sauber, a White House lawyer, provided arguments in a letter to Hur, citing the regulations' historical context and the need for a summary final report, not long and detailed ones.

The impact of the report's release cannot be understated, with some House Republicans even calling for President Biden's removal from office using the 25th Amendment. The White House swiftly responded to the report, with Vice President Kamala Harris deeming it "gratuitous, inaccurate, and inappropriate," and Biden's personal lawyer Bauer describing it as "shabby work product." Allies of the president in Congress and on cable news also criticized Hur's findings.

The battle over the report's propriety is expected to continue, with the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee seeking access to underlying materials and the special counsel himself expected to testify to Congress.

In a complex and challenging situation, both the White House and the Justice Department must navigate the tensions between their differing perspectives. It remains to be seen how this clash will impact the ongoing discourse surrounding the report and the administration's relationship with the Justice Department.