Democrat suggests classified docs in Biden’s home, office may have been ‘planted’ after second batch found
‘Things can be planted in places and then discovered conveniently. That may be what has occurred here,’ Rep. Johnson told Fox
Democratic Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., said he isn’t ruling out foul play in the discovery of classified documents found in President Joe Biden’s possession, suggesting they could have been planted.
“Alleged classified documents showing up allegedly in the possession of Joseph Biden… I’m suspicious of the timing of it,” Johnson told Fox News’ Hillary Vaughn on Thursday after a second batch of documents was found in the president’s garage in Wilmington, Delaware. “I’m also aware of the fact that things can be planted on people… things can be planted in places and then discovered conveniently. That may be what has occurred here. I’m not ruling that out. But I’m open in terms of the investigation needs to be investigated.”
Despite Johnson speculating the documents could have been planted, Biden admitted to Fox News’ White House correspondent Peter Doocy that he knew they were in his garage. “So the documents were in a locked garage?” Doocy asked.
“Yes, as well as my Corvette,” Biden answered.
Just hours after Johnson told Fox about his suspicions around the discovery, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Robert Hur as the special counsel to investigate the classified documents.
“It is refreshing to see the Department of Justice restored from its politicization during the Trump years, and I applaud Attorney General Garland for acting swiftly in appointing a special counsel to investigate the Biden document discoveries,” Johnson told Fox News Digital.
“Based on what we know, there is a big difference between the Trump and Biden document cases,” Johnson said, adding that the situation surrounding Biden’s possession of documents does not compare to the classified materials found in former President Donald Trump‘s Mar-a-Lago residence. “There remains much we don’t know about the Biden document discoveries, and it’s too early to reach any conclusions. I am confident, however, that the process has begun to ensure that we get to the truth, and that justice will be done.”
Like Johnson, other Democratic representatives are supportive of an investigation – but did not speculate on how the documents got to the unsecured locations.
Fox also pressed Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., on why Biden decided to wait two months before sharing the matter with the American people.
Schiff said he sees no evidence of wrongdoing with Biden’s handling of classified information saying, “Was this inadvertent? It certainly appears that it was. Was there any evidence of obstruction? There certainly appears to be no evidence of that. Was there any evidence of a breach of the security of the documents? I’ve seen no evidence of that either.”
“I would just say that I think whenever classified documents are in a place they shouldn’t be, it’s a deep concern for those of us on the Intelligence Committee,” the California Democrat said.
Schiff also said, like Johnson, that the situation does not compare to when Trump, whose Mar-a-Lago home was raided by the FBI last summer, was alleged to have classified documents in his possession.
“There are, as far as I can see, enormous differences between the situation with President Biden and the former president,” he continued, “Let’s not lose sight of the seriousness and the contrasting factors that we see with the case of the former president.”
The White House Counsel’s Office reportedly found another set of documents in the Biden’s garage Thursday, after initiating a search of Biden’s homes in Rehoboth Beach and Wilmington following the initial news this week of the documents containing classified material at the Penn Biden Center in Washington, D.C.
Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
More classified documents found in Biden’s Delaware garage, White House reveals
White House lawyers say they immediately contacted the DOJ
A batch of classified documents was found in the garage of one of President Biden’s Delaware homes, White House lawyers announced Thursday.
The White House Counsel’s Office searched Biden’s two residences in Rehoboth Beach and Wilmington, Delaware this week, after revelations about a collection of Obama-era classified documents at a think tank in Washington. Biden is facing growing scrutiny for his handling of classified documents, and the White House says it is fully cooperating with a Justice Department investigation.
White House lawyers say they immediately contacted the DOJ when they discovered the documents this week. There has been no indication of what the documents contain or whether Biden or anyone else read them after leaving office as vice president.
PRESIDENT BIDEN IGNORES QUESTION ON WHY CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS WERE FOUND AT HIS THINK TANK
The White House says no documents were found at Biden’s residence in Rehoboth Beach. Biden’s administration has also arranged to deliver the documents over to DOJ custody.
DOJ officials have also interviewed multiple people who were aides to Biden at the end of the Obama administration regarding the documents, according to NBC News.
Biden once offered a glimpse into his Wilmington residence garage in a 2020 campaign ad.
The Wilmington documents are the second stash of Obama-era classified documents to be uncovered. The first collection was found at Washington offices of the Penn Biden Center, a Biden-aligned think tank.
“The documents were not the subject of any previous request or inquiry by the Archives,” Richard Sauber, special counsel to the White House, said in a Monday statement about the think tank documents. “Since that discovery, the President’s personal attorneys have cooperated with the Archives and the Department of Justice in the process to ensure that any Obama-Biden Administration records are appropriately in the possession of the Archives.”
The discovery echoes revelations last year that former President Donald Trump had housed a trove of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida after leaving office. The FBI ultimately raided his residence to recover some 300 classified documents.
Biden ignored multiple shouted questions from reporters about his handling of classified documents on Tuesday. Members of the press shouted questions about the new DOJ investigation after Biden concluded his bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Biden and Trudeau remained silent and stared at the press corps impassively as staff escorted reporters out of the room.
This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.
AG Garland appoints special counsel to investigate Biden classified documents
White House lawyers found another stash of classified documents at Biden’s home in Delaware
Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday appointed a special counsel to investigate President Biden’s handling of classified documents dating back to the Obama administration.
Garland tapped Robert Hur, a former U.S. attorney, to handle the investigation. The Justice Department escalated it to a special counsel investigation from a mere review on Thursday after a second stash of classified documents was found inside the garage of Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware, home. The first documents were found inside the Washington offices of the Penn Biden Center think tank.
“Earlier today, I signed an order appointing Robert Hur a special counsel for the matter I have just described,” Garland said Thursday after outlining the located documents. “The document authorizes him to investigate whether any person or entity violated the law in connection with this matter. The special counsel will not be subject to the day-to-day supervision of any official of the department, but he must comply with the regulations, procedures and policies of the department.”
Hur worked in the DOJ’s criminal division investigating counterterrorism, corporate fraud, and appellate matters, Garland said. Hur served as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland until he left the DOJ in 2021.
“I am confident that Mr. Hur will carry out his responsibility in an even-handed and urgent manner and in accordance with the highest traditions of this department,” Garland added.
The White House Counsel’s Office searched Biden’s two residences in Rehoboth Beach and Wilmington, Delaware, this week after news of the first documents broke. White House lawyers say they immediately contacted the DOJ when they discovered the documents inside the Wilmington garage. There has been no indication of what the documents contain or whether Biden or anyone else read them after he left office as vice president.
“Lawyers discovered among personal and political papers a small number of additional Obama-Biden administration records with classified markings. All but one of these documents were found in storage space in the President’s Wilmington residence garage,” White House lawyers wrote in a Thursday statement. “One document consisting of one page was discovered among stored materials in an adjacent room.”
The White House says no documents were found at Biden’s residence in Rehoboth Beach. Biden’s administration has also arranged to deliver the documents to the DOJ.
The Wilmington documents are the second stash of Obama-era classified documents to be uncovered. The first collection was found at the Washington offices of the Penn Biden Center, a Biden-aligned think tank.
Biden sparred with Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy over the second group of documents on Thursday.
“Classified documents next to your Corvette? What were you thinking?” Doocy asked.
“I’m going to get the chance to speak on all of this, God willing it’ll be soon, but I said earlier this week — and by the way my Corvette is in a locked garage. It’s not like it’s sitting out in the street,” Biden responded.
“So the documents were in a locked garage,” Doocy prompted.
“Yes, as well as my Corvette. But as I said earlier this week, people know I take classified documents and classified material seriously,” Biden said. “I also said we’re cooperating fully and completely with the Justice Department’s review.”
The discovery echoes revelations last year that former President Donald Trump had housed a trove of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida after leaving office. The FBI ultimately raided his residence to recover some 300 classified documents.
President Biden ignores question on why classified documents were found at his think tank
Records from Biden’s time as vice president were discovered at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement on Nov. 2
President Biden on Monday refused to answer questions about the classified documents that were found at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement in Washington, D.C.
Records from Biden’s time as vice president were discovered at the think tank by his personal attorneys on Nov. 2, and included a “small number of documents with classified markings,” the White House said. The National Archives were notified and took possession of the documents the following day.
“The documents were not the subject of any previous request or inquiry by the Archives,” White House special counsel Richard Sauber said in a statement. “Since that discovery, the President’s personal attorneys have cooperated with the Archives and the Department of Justice in process to ensure that any Obama-Biden Administration records are appropriately in the possession of the Archives.”
But when asked by reporters for a reaction to the findings, Biden gave no response.
“Any response to the discovery of classified documents at your office?” a reporter asked. The president appeared to look down and ignore the question.
The Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement is affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania, and opened in Washington, D.C., in February 2018.
This comes after Biden previously criticized former President Trump after the Federal Bureau of Investigation in August seized classified documents from his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida.
“How that could possibly happen? How anyone could be that irresponsible? And I thought what data was in there that would maybe compromise sources and methods?” the president told “60 Minutes” last year. “And it just – totally irresponsible.”
All documents from a president’s administration and staff must be turned over to the National Archives, according to the Presidential Records Act.
Trump responded to the discovery at Biden’s think tank by asking if the president would be subject to an FBI search, an apparent reference to the agency’s search of Mar-a-Lago.
