By Mona Austin
(The Slice): On Monday it was revealed that classified White House documents were discovered in the think tank of Pres. Joe Biden last fall. Immiedately there were comparisons to the over 100 highly classified government documetns that were found in former Pres, Donald Trump's Mar-a-lago, but the DOJ says Biden only had a "small number" of records. After Trump was exposed he tweeted on his Truth Social platofrm that Biden's homes and perhapd the White house should be investigated. It appears that he got his wish, but his stiutatuion is more sensitive.
One main difference between this scenario and Trump's is that the documents were found in an offfice for a policy school he opened that was located in DC. Trump's were found in his home, which doubles as a public place frequented by people from all over the world. Before Biden became president had a office inside the same building where the school, the Penn Biden Center, operated. When that office they found papers that appeared to be associated with the Obama Administration and reported the findings to the Department of Justice, which are now under review by the DOJ and the National Archives. Biden's attorneys turned the files over immediately. Biden did not know the documetns were stored in his office until his attornetys informed him.
Maryland Democrat Jamie Raskins of the house Oversight Committee had this to say:
“Attorneys for President Biden appear to have taken immediate and proper action to notify the National Archives about their discovery of a small handful of classified documents found in a locked cabinet at the Penn Biden Center so they could be returned to federal government custody," he said. "I have confidence that the Attorney General took the appropriate steps to ensure the careful review of the circumstances surrounding the possession and discovery of these documents and make an impartial decision about any further action that may be needed.”
Likewise, a Republican chimed in and does not think Biden is at fault.
Rep. James Comer, (R-KY) the new chair of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, told reporters Monday night that he plans to send a letter to the White House Counsel’s Office and the National Archives requesting information about the documents.
Per NBC, Comer said that "based on research by his investigators following the Mar-a-Lago search, it was not uncommon for former presidents to accidentally leave office with classified documents. He also made clear that he thought it was unlikely Biden did anything wrong, and that he was more concerned that Trump may have been treated unfairly."
“Attorneys for President Biden appear to have taken immediate and proper action to notify the National Archives about their discovery of a small handful of classified documents found in a locked cabinet at the Penn Biden Center so they could be returned to federal government custody," he said. "I have confidence that the Attorney General took the appropriate steps to ensure the careful review of the circumstances surrounding the possession and discovery of these documents and make an impartial decision about any further action that may be needed.”
CBS News broke the story on the documents.
Mona Austin is a writer and radio news broadcaster. Send tips to monasnewsslice@gmail.com Follow Mona on Facebook at monaaustin ; Instagram:The Slcie News and on Twitter @iammonaaustin.
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