Second batch of Biden classified files were found in garage 'storage'
BREAKING NEWS: Second batch of Biden documents were found in the GARAGE at his Wilmington home: President struggles to read off script when asked: ‘Classified materials, next to your Corvette? What were you thinking?’
- The latest disclosure comes from White House counsel’s office
- Lawyers uncovered a ‘small number’ of documents in Wilmington residence
- Statement says no documents were found at Delaware beach house
- Documents were in ‘storage space’ and ‘adjacent room’ in garage
- Biden has blasted Donald Trump for his ‘irresponsible’ handling of materials
A second batch of classified documents were found in a garage ‘storage space’ in President Biden’s Wilmington home, the White House counsel revealed on Thursday – in the latest explosive development in the classified documents story.
Richard Sauber, Special Counsel to the President, said the files were immediately handed over to the National Archives and the Department of Justice was notified.
It is still not clear what information was contained in the files or when they were found.
Biden responded to a question Thursday when pressed how he could have classified materials ‘next to your Corvette’ – a reference to his classic 1967 Stingray.
‘By the way, my Corvette’s in locked garage, okay? It’s not like it’s sitting out in the street,’ Biden shot back. He confirmed the documents were kept in a lock garage. ‘Yes – as well as my Corvette,’ he told Peter Doocy of Fox News.
‘People know I take classified documents,’ classified materials seriously,’ Biden said.
‘We’re cooperating fully and completely with the Justice Department’s review,’ he continued, reading from a prepared statement.
A second batch of classified documents were found in a garage ‘storage space’ in President Biden’s Wilmington home, the President’s counsel revealed on Thursday
He said lawyers ‘discovered a small number of documents with classified markings in storage areas and file cabinets in my home and my – my personal library.’
‘The Department of Justice was immediately notified, he said. ‘We’re going to see all this unfold, I’m confident …’ he said. Biden’s voice trailed off, leading to a chorus of shouted questions. ‘Thank you very much,’ he concluded.
Then, amid the cacophony of questions, he pointed to the back of the auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building where he was speaking. ‘Hey how you doing? Good to see you!’ he yelled, then walked off stage.
The disclosure comes as the White House face multiple questions on why the discoveries have not been revealed until now and who was handling them.
The first set of files, found a week before the November midterms, was located in a locked closet at the Penn Biden Center in Washington D.C.
They are believed to have contained information on Iran, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and personal family information including documents about late son Bean’s funeral.
‘As we stated previously, we are fully cooperating with the National Archives and the Department of Justice in a process to ensure that any Obama-Biden Administration records are appropriately in possession of the Archives, Sauber said in the Thursday statement.
‘Following the discovery of government documents at the Penn Biden Center in November 2022, and coordinating closely with the Department of Justice, the President’s lawyers have searched the President’s Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, residences – the other locations where files from his Vice-Presidential office might have been shipped in the course of the 2017 transition.
‘The lawyers completed that review last night.
‘During the review, the 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.
‘One document consisting of one page was discovered among stored materials in an adjacent room. No documents were found in the Rehoboth Beach residence.
‘As was done in the case of the Penn-Biden Center, the Department of Justice was immediately notified, and the lawyers arranged for the Department of Justice to take possession of these documents.
‘The White House will continue to cooperate with the review by the Department of Justice.’
The White House released the statement shortly before Biden was to deliver comments to the media about new inflation figures.
That followed a contentious White House briefing on Wednesday, where reporters pressed White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on why the discovery of the classified materials days before the November elections had not been revealed sooner.
Republicans are already demanding a special counsel review the matter at the Justice Department to determine the next course of action.
A special counsel is already reviewing former President Donald Trump’s possession of highly classified materials at his Mar-a-Lago residence. FBI agents searched the residence this summer under a grand jury subpoena after a months-long process seeking to obtain government material.
The discovery of classified materials at Biden’s Penn office had already prompted demands by Republicans to investigate the matter – and that was before the latest discovery.
The counsel’s office notably did not mention the exact number of documents that were discovered.
Biden has blasted Trump’s handling of materials in the past, and has stated that he takes care when bringing classified documents home as president that he gets briefed in a secured room and returns classified materials to a military aide.
He told CBS ’60 Minutes’ after the Mar-a-Lago raid: ‘How that could possibly happen? How one – anyone could be that irresponsible?’
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