National Archives Asks All Former Presidents and VPs to Look for Classified Docs
THe National Archives The Records Administration requested former presidents and vice presidents of the United States to find any documents classified files They may be holding on to.
The agency is asking for representatives of the vice presidents and presidents to go through their files to make sure there are no classified or improper documents. presidential records Material “inadvertently” After recent findings from the former administrations, their personal inventory was deemed sufficient.
“We request that you conduct an assessment of any materials held outside of NARA that relate to the Administration for which you serve as a designated representative under the PRA, to determine whether bodies of materials previously assumed to be personal in nature might inadvertently contain Presidential or Vice Presidential records subject to the PRA, whether classified or unclassified,” a letter from the agency to former presidents said, per CNN.
The Presidential Records Act, mentioned in the letter, requires presidents and vice-presidents to give presidential material to the agency for preservation for historical purposes. This law is vague and does not have teeth. Those who violate it will not be punished with a criminal sentence. Other laws apply to mishandling classified information.
Recent discoveries of classified files in smuggling have been made at former President Donald Trump’s residences.
The agency addressed its letter to former Presidents Trump (and Barack Obama), George W. Bush (and Bill Clinton), and George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. Also, former Vice Presidents Biden, Dick Cheney and Al Gore.
Trump gave 15 boxes worth material to the National Archives last year. The National Archives discovered files that had been marked as classified, sparking a lengthy controversy that has engulfed Trump for months. Jack Smith, the special counsel investigating the matter, is currently involved.
A Biden lawyer found material at a think-tank marked as classified and reported the matter to the Justice Department. Robert Hur was appointed special counsel to investigate the matter earlier in the month. This was followed by further material being discovered from Biden’s vice presidency days. Later, it was discovered that Pence had found sensitive material at his Indiana residence.
“The responsibility to comply with the PRA does not diminish after the end of an administration,” The NARA wrote.
Biden and Pence insist that they are cooperating in investigations. Trump has denied any wrongdoing. The Senate Intelligence Committee is demanding information from Department of National Intelligence about the matter.
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James Comer, House Oversight and Accountability Chairman (Republican-Ky.), and his counterpart, Jim Jordan, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee (Republican-Ohio), opened investigations into the Biden classified document saga.
The Washington Examiner For comment, we reached out to a representative from the National Archives.
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