Special Counsel Appointed to Investigate Biden’s Handling of Classified Documents, Sparking Political Crisis

President Joe Biden is facing the worst political crisis of his presidency after the appointment of a special counsel to investigate his handling of classified documents.

The controversy began last fall when Biden’s lawyers discovered a secret vice presidential file in his former Washington office. This sparked a botched messaging strategy from the Biden administration, which was further complicated when a second batch of classified material, also dating to Biden’s time as vice president, was found in a different location.

The special counsel appointment has been met with criticism from both sides of the aisle. Republicans have publicly and privately conceded that the development is an unwelcome distraction at an inopportune time that muddies the case against Donald Trump. Democrats, meanwhile, have expressed concern that the investigation could lead to criminal exposure for Biden.

However, Biden’s legal team may have spared him criminal exposure from the discovery by swiftly cooperating with the National Archives. This could be a stark contrast to the situation facing former President Donald Trump, who is facing a special counsel of his own and is under federal criminal investigation for his document haul in Florida.

It remains to be seen how the special counsel investigation will play out, but it is clear that Biden is facing a major political crisis that could have long-term implications for his presidency.