Classified documents

Regarding “Opinion: Mishandling classified docs is unpresidential,” (Jan. 31): Citizens and certain politicians continue to voice shock and outrage over classified documents being found at residences and offices of presidents, former presidents and vice presidents. However, the job of a president or vice president is a 24 hour, seven days of the week, 365 days of the year kind of job, and there will be times when taking work home is absolutely required. It is worth considering that former presidents and vice presidents likely do not personally pack up their offices when vacating facilities, so being surprised about finding such documents at residences or former offices is entirely plausible.

Certainly, President Joe Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence responded appropriately when these documents were found; the same cannot be said of former President Donald Trump who, like a 3-year-old child, seems to think everything he touches magically becomes his own personal property.

Perhaps the National Archives could provide even more nonpartisan, qualified, security-cleared staff on-site at the White House to ensure proper implementation, cradle-to-grave, of whatever document identification, handling and retention mechanism is used. The Archives are the historians and librarians of the United States of America and should not have had to resort to subpoenas.

Lisa Fontenot, Willis

I remember, years ago, visiting the public library to read encyclopedias and reference books. They were to be used only in the reference room. If you left the reference room with them a siren or alarm would go off. Maybe it would be safer if our government used a public library to store highly classified documents.

Kenneth Orr, Katy