Robert Hur Makes a Comeback
The former special counsel is now representing Harvard University in its conflict with the Trump administration, following criticism from the left regarding his portrayal of Joe Biden last year.
TroibNews 
Significant changes have occurred since Robert Hur, the former special counsel investigating Joe Biden's handling of classified documents, last communicated with Washington.
Last winter, Hur presented his report that determined Biden should not face any charges concerning the classified materials found in his homes and office following his vice presidency. However, Hur's description of how a jury might view Biden — “as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” — drew backlash from Democrats. Four months later, Biden's poor performance during his single 2024 debate with Donald Trump seemed to validate Hur's assessment. Since the release of his report, Hur has refrained from making public comments and has kept a low profile, particularly following criticism from the House Judiciary Committee.
Recently, many liberals and Biden supporters have found themselves aligned with Hur, as he is now one of two prominent Republican attorneys representing Harvard University in its dispute with the Trump administration over federal funding.
Former Biden officials, speaking on condition of anonymity for candidness, expressed support for Hur's role but still have mixed feelings about his earlier treatment of Biden. “It’s good for anyone to push back on Trump abusing power and violating constitutional rights,” said one former Biden administration aide. “His treatment of Biden was wrong, but disagreeing about that doesn’t mean you have to oppose everything he does.”
Two other former Biden officials, who did not object to Hur working for Harvard, noted that despite the controversy surrounding his portrayal of Biden, it has proven accurate. "He was just being honest," remarked one of the former officials.
Observers deem Harvard’s decision to select Hur as strategic. His co-counsel, William Burck, also has strong connections to the White House and currently serves as an outside ethics adviser to the Trump Organization. “I think it's very smart to use the lawyer every Republican praised a year ago,” a former Biden White House official stated. “The administration's actions are blatantly illegal, and I'm glad Hur has taken the case.”
However, some former Biden officials have more intense views on Hur: "If anyone knows how to advance a political agenda as part of a legal proceeding, we know he does," commented another former Biden official.
Requests for comments from Hur, Burck, and Harvard were not met with responses.
Harvard faces the possibility of losing over $2 billion in federal grants after it declined to comply with demands from the administration's Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, which included overhauling hiring and admissions practices to eliminate racial considerations and ensure “viewpoint diversity.” The administration also required Harvard to report conduct violations by foreign students to the Departments of State and Homeland Security for federal funding. On Tuesday, Trump publicly suggested stripping Harvard of its tax-exempt status.
In a letter responding to the task force, Hur and Burck stated, “The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. Neither Harvard nor any other private university can allow itself to be taken over by the federal government.”
Harvard's resistance to Trump's campaign against higher education places Hur in a unique position, as he previously served under the president during Trump’s first term as a high-ranking Justice Department official and U.S. Attorney for Maryland. During his time, Hur appeared at a White House press briefing alongside Tom Homan to discuss law enforcement against gangs like MS-13.
Former colleagues commend Hur for his skills and reputation for honesty. His senior positions within the DOJ were under the Trump administration, yet his career as a federal prosecutor spanned both Democratic and Republican presidencies, and he is known to view the profession as needing to remain apolitical. Biden's Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Hur as special counsel to investigate the president's handling of classified materials.
“He’s an extraordinary lawyer,” a former Justice Department colleague stated, highlighting Hur's previous role as principal associate deputy attorney general, a pivotal position for the entire agency. “He had management responsibility for the whole department, so he had a substantial portfolio,” recalled the colleague, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive personnel matters.
Now practicing law at King & Spalding, Hur focuses primarily on clients facing government investigations and is not known to have represented colleges and universities before. However, he was appointed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to the University of Maryland Board of Regents in 2021, and his firm biography lists “higher education” among his "capabilities."
Hur's connection to the Harvard case is personal, as he and co-counsel Burck are both alumni of Harvard College.
Since returning to office, Trump has intensified his efforts to penalize lawyers representing parties against his interests. In March, he signed an executive order instructing Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue sanctions against any lawyer involved in “frivolous, unreasonable, and vexatious litigation against the United States or in matters before executive departments and agencies of the United States.”
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
Last winter, Hur presented his report that determined Biden should not face any charges concerning the classified materials found in his homes and office following his vice presidency. However, Hur's description of how a jury might view Biden — “as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” — drew backlash from Democrats. Four months later, Biden's poor performance during his single 2024 debate with Donald Trump seemed to validate Hur's assessment. Since the release of his report, Hur has refrained from making public comments and has kept a low profile, particularly following criticism from the House Judiciary Committee.
Recently, many liberals and Biden supporters have found themselves aligned with Hur, as he is now one of two prominent Republican attorneys representing Harvard University in its dispute with the Trump administration over federal funding.
Former Biden officials, speaking on condition of anonymity for candidness, expressed support for Hur's role but still have mixed feelings about his earlier treatment of Biden. “It’s good for anyone to push back on Trump abusing power and violating constitutional rights,” said one former Biden administration aide. “His treatment of Biden was wrong, but disagreeing about that doesn’t mean you have to oppose everything he does.”
Two other former Biden officials, who did not object to Hur working for Harvard, noted that despite the controversy surrounding his portrayal of Biden, it has proven accurate. "He was just being honest," remarked one of the former officials.
Observers deem Harvard’s decision to select Hur as strategic. His co-counsel, William Burck, also has strong connections to the White House and currently serves as an outside ethics adviser to the Trump Organization. “I think it's very smart to use the lawyer every Republican praised a year ago,” a former Biden White House official stated. “The administration's actions are blatantly illegal, and I'm glad Hur has taken the case.”
However, some former Biden officials have more intense views on Hur: "If anyone knows how to advance a political agenda as part of a legal proceeding, we know he does," commented another former Biden official.
Requests for comments from Hur, Burck, and Harvard were not met with responses.
Harvard faces the possibility of losing over $2 billion in federal grants after it declined to comply with demands from the administration's Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, which included overhauling hiring and admissions practices to eliminate racial considerations and ensure “viewpoint diversity.” The administration also required Harvard to report conduct violations by foreign students to the Departments of State and Homeland Security for federal funding. On Tuesday, Trump publicly suggested stripping Harvard of its tax-exempt status.
In a letter responding to the task force, Hur and Burck stated, “The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. Neither Harvard nor any other private university can allow itself to be taken over by the federal government.”
Harvard's resistance to Trump's campaign against higher education places Hur in a unique position, as he previously served under the president during Trump’s first term as a high-ranking Justice Department official and U.S. Attorney for Maryland. During his time, Hur appeared at a White House press briefing alongside Tom Homan to discuss law enforcement against gangs like MS-13.
Former colleagues commend Hur for his skills and reputation for honesty. His senior positions within the DOJ were under the Trump administration, yet his career as a federal prosecutor spanned both Democratic and Republican presidencies, and he is known to view the profession as needing to remain apolitical. Biden's Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Hur as special counsel to investigate the president's handling of classified materials.
“He’s an extraordinary lawyer,” a former Justice Department colleague stated, highlighting Hur's previous role as principal associate deputy attorney general, a pivotal position for the entire agency. “He had management responsibility for the whole department, so he had a substantial portfolio,” recalled the colleague, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive personnel matters.
Now practicing law at King & Spalding, Hur focuses primarily on clients facing government investigations and is not known to have represented colleges and universities before. However, he was appointed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to the University of Maryland Board of Regents in 2021, and his firm biography lists “higher education” among his "capabilities."
Hur's connection to the Harvard case is personal, as he and co-counsel Burck are both alumni of Harvard College.
Since returning to office, Trump has intensified his efforts to penalize lawyers representing parties against his interests. In March, he signed an executive order instructing Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue sanctions against any lawyer involved in “frivolous, unreasonable, and vexatious litigation against the United States or in matters before executive departments and agencies of the United States.”
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
