Don’t store classified documents out on the street

Two weeks ago corporate media portrayed the fight over Speaker of the House the mother of all stories in 2023 Washington. The Speaker story would replace the January 6 story that has anchored corporate media news the past two years. Then discovery of classified documents leapt into the lead again, and again, and finally a third time last week and counting, but these documents were all classified during the Obama-biden administration.

Readers may remember something about former president Trump storing classified documents inside his Mar-aLago residence last year. The story began some time around the end of 2021 when the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) contacted representatives of Trump about missing potentially-classified information. In January Trump returned 15 missing boxes of classified documents from his term in the White House.

When the 2022 mid-term elections began to heat up, the story of classified documents at Mar-a-lago burst into a conflagration when armed federal agents raided Trump’s home looking for classified documents in every room and crevice of the home, including the First Lady’s private areas. None of Trump’s lawyers or representatives were allowed inside the premises during the August 8th raid.

As a former president, Trump had his own personal security as well as Secret Service security protecting him. Anything he brought with him from the White House was very secure inside his residence. It’s not like he stored boxes in a garage facing a public street.

Nevertheless, President Biden did not miss his opportunity to take advantage of a crisis. Last September CBS’ Scott Pelley interviewed Biden on “60 Minutes” about Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents. Pelley asked, “When you saw the photograph of the top secret documents laid out on the floor at Mar-a-lago, what did you think to yourself looking at that image?”

Biden replied, “How that could possibly happen, how one anyone could be that irresponsible.” Biden continued, ”And I thought what data was in there that may compromise sources and methods. By that, I mean, names of people helped or et cetera.” Then added, “And it’s just totally irresponsible.”

Last week we learned about the discovery of three stashes of classified documents under Biden’s watch. On Monday an announcement disclosed some of Biden’s classified documents were discovered last November 2. Tuesday NBC reported discovery of another stash of classified documents. Wednesday Biden’s attorneys announced discovery of other classified documents, in Biden’s garage beside his corvette.

Biden had asked some very pertinent questions in his interview with CBS 60 Minutes. Last week White House press corps began asking the same kinds of questions about who saw which Biden classified documents when, and how that might “compromise sources and methods … names of people helped or et cetera.” So far, the White House is refusing to answer those questions.

Guarding what Biden says has been a primary security challenge from the day he launched his latest bid for president in 2019. Reporters have generally treated Biden as a nice respectable old man. But, last week FOXNEWS’ Peter Doocy asked Biden a typical Doocy-question. “Mr. President, classified material next to your Corvette – what were you thinking?” To which the President replied, “By the way, my Corvette’s in a locked garage, OK? So it’s not like they’re sitting out in the street.”

Lesson #1: Don’t store classified documents out in the street.