Why Hur’s testimony isn’t leaving either party happy: From the Politics Desk

Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the campaign trail, the White House and Capitol Hill.

In today’s edition, senior national politics reporter Alex Seitz-Wald explains why neither party got what it wanted from former Special Cousel Robert Hur's testimony. Plus, national political correspondent Steve Kornacki breaks down whether the Joe Biden-Donald Trump rematch will be the longest general election campaign ever.

A prosecutor meets politicians, and no one leaves happy

By Alex Seitz-Wald

In an election that is testing the political independence of the judiciary like never before, with one candidate facing prosecution overseen by his rival’s Department of Justice, former special counsel Robert Hur’s congressional testimony today showed how precarious it can be to try to enforce the law without appearing partisan.

Hur’s report last month delved into some of the critical questions of the 2024 election, including President Joe Biden’s mental faculties and former President Donald Trump’s alleged crimes. But during his roughly four-hour appearance before the House Judiciary Committee, Hur himself seemed to have no interest in answering those questions beyond the narrow scope of his probe. His testimony often felt more like a book report on his investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents.

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Going into the hearing, Republicans were hoping for some bombshell revelations to revive their Biden impeachment effort, which appears to have stalled out after their star witness was arrested for allegedly lying about his claims.

But Republicans did not get what they