Federal judge grants three-week delay on release of Biden interview recordings

A federal judge on Friday granted a three-week injunction that prevents the Justice Department from releasing audio recordings tied to Special Counsel Robert Hur's classified documents investigation. The recordings involve conversations between former President Joe Biden and Mark Zwonitzer, the ghostwriter of his 2017 memoir.

U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich issued the order while a federal appeals court considers the former president's challenge. The judge had denied a request for a longer preliminary injunction hours earlier. The recordings were referenced in Hur's report explaining the decision not to bring charges.

Background of the recordings The audio comes from interviews conducted roughly a decade ago. The Justice Department had planned to release the materials with redactions after determining there was significant public interest. Former President Biden filed suit in May to block disclosure, arguing the conversations are private and protected under the Privacy Act.

Legal arguments Biden's attorneys said releasing the recordings would make the appeal moot because privacy protections would be permanently lost. They also noted the litigation has been pending for more than two years and argued there is no urgent need for immediate disclosure. The Justice Department initially withheld the materials under FOIA exemptions before reversing course earlier this year.