WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich rejected former President Joe Biden's attempt to prevent the Trump administration from releasing recordings made with a ghostwriter to a conservative group. Judge Friedrich concluded that the public interest in the material outweighed Biden's privacy rights.

Biden had objected to the release, stating the recordings included discussions of sensitive personal matters, such as the death of his son, Beau Biden. However, Judge Friedrich found that the administration had already redacted content concerning such sensitive personal matters. Friedrich wrote, "The materials contain no mention of highly sensitive topics like illness or death, nor do they mention any non-public persons, including members of Biden's family."

Special counsel Robert Hur had obtained the recordings during an investigation into whether Biden improperly retained classified documents during his time as a senator and vice president. Hur declined to file charges against Biden. Following Hur's decision, Congressional Republicans demanded the release of the recordings.

Biden's administration refused to turn over the 2017 recordings and transcripts. Congressional Republicans then held Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt following the administration's refusal to release the materials. President Donald Trump's Department of Justice had authorized the release of the materials.

Biden subsequently filed a lawsuit to block the release of these records to a staffer at the Heritage Foundation, who had formally requested them. Representatives for Biden asked Friedrich to bar the release of the material pending their appeal of the decision. Judge Friedrich was nominated by Trump in 2017.