Special counsel to investigate President Biden's classified materials
GREENWICH, Del. (CBS) -- President Joe Biden's classified documents controversy is turning into a political crisis.
Biden aides said more classified documents have been found at his Delaware home in Greenville, New Castle County.
Now, a special counsel will be handling the case.
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday he is appointing former federal prosecutor Robert Hur as a special counsel to investigate how Biden still had classified materials from his time as vice president.
"The extraordinary circumstances here require the appointment of a special counsel for this matter," Garland said. "This appointment underscores for the public, the department's commitment to both independence and accountability in particularly sensitive matters."
The first batch of classified documents was found at the former vice president's private office on Nov. 2 and turned over to the National Archives, which notified the Department of Justice two days later.
More documents were found in the president's Wilmington, Delaware, garage in December. Biden's lawyers confirmed Thursday that they found another document at his home.
"I take classified documents and classified materials seriously," Biden said. "I also said we're cooperating fully and completely with the Justice Department's review."
CBS News has learned some of the people who worked for Biden during his time as vice president have already been questioned by the DOJ.
The White House Counsel said in a statement: "We are confident that a thorough review will show that these documents were inadvertently misplaced, and the President and his lawyers acted promptly upon discovery of this mistake."
House Republicans say they want to know what kind of danger the documents pose to national security.
"Clearly, he has mishandled these classified documents," Rep. Mike Turner, of Ohio, the incoming chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said. "There's issues of, concerns of national security. I've requested a threat assessment from the director of National Intelligence."
Other Republicans say the DOJ treated former President Donald Trump much harsher -- raiding his Mar-a-Lago home to find classified material that the National Archives repeatedly requested he returns.
"You watched them leak photos of sitting out files of President Trump," House Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy said. "Where's the photos of President Biden's documents?"
House Republicans have already launched an investigation looking into the Department of Justice and its handling of former Trump's case.
Trump called on the DOJ to stop its investigation into his handling of classified material.