Republicans in Congress say they will investigate the matter of classified documents found at the University of Pennsylvania’s Biden Center for Diplomacy from President Joe Biden’s time as vice president.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said Monday evening that his committee will send a letter to the National Archives and Records Administration demanding answers and is open to hearings depending on where the investigation leads.
“President Biden has stated that taking classified documents from the White House is ‘irresponsible,’” Comer said in a statement, according to Fox News. “Under the Biden Administration, the Department of Justice and National Archives have made compliance with the Presidential Records Act a top priority.
“We expect the same treatment for President Biden, who has apparently inappropriately maintained classified documents in an insecure setting for several years,” he added.
Biden on 60 Minutes in September reacting to classified documents being found at Mar-a-Lago:
“How does that happen? How could anyone be that irresponsible.” https://t.co/ps6kLurHa3 pic.twitter.com/WiiYBGPOFM
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 9, 2023
Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) tweeted: “Joe Biden took classified documents to his private office and LIED about it to 60 minutes. Why isn’t the FBI raiding Biden’s Delaware homes right now? House GOP will investigate!”
Joe Biden took classified documents to his private office and LIED about it to 60 Minutes. Why isn’t the FBI raiding Biden’s Delaware homes right now? House GOP will investigate!
— Mary Miller (@Miller_Congress) January 10, 2023
CBS News first reported Monday that President Joe Biden’s lawyers discovered back on November 2, 2022 — right before the midterms — a batch of documents with classified markings from the time when Biden was vice president when clearing the center in Washington, D.C.
Biden used the center from mid-2017 until he began his 2020 presidential campaign, according to Biden’s lawyer Richard Sauber. Sauber said the documents were locked in a closet in one of Biden’s private offices.
Classified documents from Joe Biden’s vice-presidential office were discovered by the president’s personal attorneys at the Penn Biden Center, a think tank in Washington, D.C.; Statement from Special Counsel to the President Richard Sauber pic.twitter.com/uDOEoXWIDj
— Kyle Mazza (@KyleMazzaWUNF) January 9, 2023
A reporter attempted to ask Biden about the documents before he was to begin a meeting with the Mexican president, but was rushed out of the room along with all press:
As the press is herded out of the room, a reporter asks Biden: “Any response to the discovery of classified documents at your office?”
Biden does not answer. pic.twitter.com/baf4mFwSPP
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 10, 2023
House Republicans decried the hypocrisy between the National Archives’ treatment of the documents found at the Penn Biden Center with classified markings found last year at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Florida.
House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) tweeted that as vice president, Biden did not have the authority to declassify classified documents.
“Biden stole classified documents and stored them at his think tank while he was VP,” he tweeted, before questioning the center’s status as a “think tank” and adding that it received $54 million in funding from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Biden stole classified documents and stored them at his think tank while he was VP.
The VP does not have any authority to declassify classified documents.
And this “think tank” received $54 million in funding from the CCP.
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) January 10, 2023
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) also noted Biden did not have the power to declassify as presidents do.
“Joe Biden stole classified documents. This is a very serious crime. DOJ & NARA can’t sweep this under the rug AND persecute Trump,” she tweeted.
Joe Biden took classified documents from the White House when he was Vice President.
The VP does NOT have the power to declassify, only POTUS.
Joe Biden stole classified documents.
This is a very serious crime.
DOJ & NARA can’t sweep this under the rug AND persecute Trump.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) January 10, 2023
Numerous Republicans accused the Justice Department of having different standards of justice for Trump and Biden. The DOJ had convened a grand jury to look into Trump retaining any classified documents, and the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago to look for them.
Dan Bishop (R-NC) tweeted, “Two tiers of Justice cannot stand.”
Meanwhile, the Biden administration ordered an FBI raid on his top political opponent for…..having classified documents.
Two tiers of Justice cannot stand. https://t.co/RMnAyypbEk
— Rep. Dan Bishop (@RepDanBishop) January 10, 2023
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) defended Biden.
Jamie Raskin, ranking Dem on House Oversight: “Attorneys for President Biden appear to have taken immediate and proper action to notify the National Archives about their discovery of a small handful of classified documents”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 10, 2023
At least two House Democrats expressed concern, albeit somewhat muted.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) told CNN: “Obviously if there are classified documents anywhere they shouldn’t be that’s a problem and a deep concern.” However, he equivocated on whether there should be an investigation. “I probably don’t want to say more [until] I have a chance to read the article.”
Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) told CNN: “Classified information needs to stay in secure spaces.”
If Hill should probe. “I probably don’t want to say more time until I have a chance to read the article. But I think it ought to be concerning to anyone if classified information is not where it should be”
Jim Himes to me: “Classified information needs to stay in secure spaces.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 10, 2023
Several Republicans senators also weighed in on the matter, although since they do not control the Senate, they cannot initiate investigations or hearings.
It’s been revealed that classified documents were found inside Joe Biden’s private office.
Why were they there, why wasn’t the Justice Department looking for these documents, and who had access to them?
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) January 9, 2023
Re. Biden and classified documents: there can’t be separate standards for Republicans and Democrats.
The same rules must apply to everyone.
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) January 10, 2023
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), however, did call for the convening of a grand jury.
convene a grand jury. https://t.co/Me4dgynslK
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 9, 2023
Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., tweeted sarcastically asking when the FBI would raid one of Biden’s homes:
When will the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team storm one of Biden’s many vacation homes bought and paid for somehow by a lifetime of being a humble public servant? https://t.co/6qfXdxePll
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 9, 2023
However, he then struck a pessimistic note that anything would be done, tweeting:
We were told for months that this was
treasonous… grounds for
impeachment… & meriting the death
penalty, yet I have a feeling nothing
will happen!?U.S. attorney reviewing classified documents from Joe Biden’s vice presidency found at Biden think tank. https://t.co/YUxU2ZvW4R
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 10, 2023
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