James Comer wants more information about Biden’s classified documents from the White House

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CNN —

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Sunday criticized President Joe Biden and his team for their handling of classified documents, announcing on CNNs State of the Union that he is requesting more information about the situation.

“We wouldn’t have known about the possession of classified documents if it weren’t for investigative reporting by CBS that somehow got a leak to determine that it happened before the election,” Kentucky Republican told CNNs Jake Tapper. So the administration has not been transparent about what is going on with President Biden’s possession of classified documents. And we just want equal treatment here as both former President (Donald) Trump and current President Biden were treated on the document issue.

In a letter addressed to White House chief of staff Ron Klain, Comer is asking for more documents and communications related to searches of the Bidens’ homes and other locations of presidential aides for classifieds. document, as well as the visitor log of the presidents Wilmington, Delaware, home from January 20, 2021 to the present.

The letter came after Bidens aides found five additional pages of classified material at his personal residence in Wilmington on Thursday, the same day a special counsel was appointed to investigate the matter. The White House announced the discovery on Saturday.

It is troubling that classified documents were improperly stored at President Biden’s home for at least six years, raising questions about who may have reviewed or had access to the classified information, Comer wrote. in the letter. As Chief of Staff, you are the head of the Executive Office of the President and are responsible for being transparent with the American people on these important issues related to the White House’s handling of this matter.

Tapper asked Comer on Sunday whether he cares more about the mishandling of classified documents when it relates to Democrats, a reference to the GOP’s response to Trump, whose Mar-a-Lago residence was searched by the FBI last week. -days after repeated attempts to retrieve the classified documents.

Absolutely not, Comer responded. Look, we still don’t know what kind of documents President Trump has.

My concern is how there was such a difference in how former President Trump was treated by raiding Mar-a-Lago, by taking security cameras, by taking pictures of documents on the floor . That’s not equal treatment, and House Republicans are deeply concerned and have a lack of confidence here in the Department of Justice. That is outrageous.

A separate special counsel is conducting multiple investigations of Trump’s actions, from his efforts to overturn the 2020 election to his handling of classified data and the stonewalling that led the FBI to search Mar-a-Lago .

Asked by Tapper on Sunday if he was accusing Biden or anyone on his team of breaking the law, Comer said, We don’t know exactly if they broke the law or not.

I would accuse the Biden administration of not being transparent. Why didn’t we hear about it on November 2, when the first batch of classified documents was discovered? he added. Joe Biden used as his closing argument during the midterm elections that Republicans are a threat to democracy. And he mentioned the fact that President Trump mishandled the documents.

In September, Biden told CBS 60 Minutes that Trump’s handling of the documents was completely irresponsible.

Responding to a question about a photo of classified documents spread across the floor at Mar-a-Lago, Biden said his reaction was: How could that happen. How can someone be so irresponsible.

In a separate interview Sunday in the State of the Union, Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, Comers Democratic counterpart on the House Oversight Committee, about the chairmen’s remarks.

Raskin told Tapper that every American has an interest in seeing that classified documents are properly handled by any president and any administration.

He echoed Comers’ call for equal treatment but argued that the Biden White House’s handling of the discovery of classified documents represents a different posture than we’ve seen with Donald Trump.

It’s a little disturbing to me that people who say they have no problem with what Donald Trump did, who defiantly refused any cooperation in handing over hundreds of classified documents, are upset about President Biden’s voluntary and quick transfer of some document. that they found, he said.

I think it’s good that it’s in the hands of special counsels on both sides and the special counsels are both very credible lawyers who I think will get to the bottom of it, Raskin said.

CNN previously reported that classified material found in Bidens private office included several top secret files with a sensitive compartmentalized information designation, which is used for highly sensitive information obtained from intelligence sources. Those documents include US intelligence memos and briefing materials covering topics including Ukraine, Iran and the United Kingdom, according to a source familiar with the matter.

On Saturday, Bidens personal attorney sought to explain why he and other members of the president’s team have not been fully forthcoming about the discovery of classified documents or records.

The President’s personal lawyers have tried to balance the importance of public transparency where appropriate with the established standards and limitations necessary to protect the integrity of investigations, Bob Bauer said in a statement. These considerations necessitate the avoidance of public release of detail related to the investigation while it is ongoing.

This story and headline have been updated.

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