Stuart Delery, the top lawyer for President Joe Biden, will depart the White House next month after nearly three years of service, the Biden administration announced on Thursday. Taking his place as Biden’s counsel is yet to be determined.
Delery first joined the President’s transition team in November 2020, serving as deputy counsel and eventually being named Biden's top lawyer after former counsel Dana Remus left. In a statement, Biden thanked Delery and his family for his service and described him as a “trusted advisor and a constant source of innovative legal thinking since Day One of my Administration.”
The news of Delery’s impending departure comes amid a series of investigations into Biden and his family by House Republicans. The investigations include inquiries into Hunter Biden and the origin of COVID-19, as well as a call for the president’s impeachment, which has yet to gain traction.
Furthermore, Attorney General Merrick Garland named a special counsel to investigate classified documents found in Biden’s possession in two different locations. The documents were found in the president’s Delaware home garage and in his former D.C. office. In response, Biden hired personal lawyer Bob Bauer to handle the matter.
Delery has been an integral part of Biden’s team, working on various measures including the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the Inflation Reduction Act. Most notably, he was the principal adviser behind Biden’s student loan handout executive order, later struck down 6-3 by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional.
Delery’s departure also follows White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients’ request for Cabinet members and senior officials to make a decision by the end of the summer as to whether they will remain in their positions through the 2024 election cycle. According to an unidentified White House official, Delery’s departure had “been in the works for a while.”
In the statement regarding Delery’s departure, President Biden said, “Stuart has been more than a counselor — he has been a friend. Thank you, Stuart, for your time and dedication to this great nation — and I wish you and your family all the best.”