Very curious development on the homefront...
The AP reports that former Clinton Advisor, Sandy Berger, is the target of a criminal investigation by the FBI. Berger has admitted to removing highly classified documents from a secure reading room prior to his appearance before the 9/11 Commission.
Berger's home and office were searched earlier this year by FBI agents armed with warrants after he voluntarily returned documents to the National Archives. However, some drafts of a sensitive after-action report on the Clinton administration's handling of al Qaeda terror threats during the December 1999 millennium celebration are still missing.
Berger and his lawyer said Monday night he knowingly removed handwritten notes he had made while reading classified anti-terror documents he reviewed at the archives by sticking them in his jacket and pants. He also inadvertently took copies of actual classified documents in a leather portfolio, they said.
"Inadvertently took copies of actual classified documents in a leather portfolio?" I find it hard to believe that putting documents in your leather portfolio would be an inadvertant act. In fact, as the article goes on to say, some of these "copies," which may actually have been originals, are now missing.
The FBI searches of Berger's home and office occurred after National Archives employees told agents they believed they witnessed Berger place documents in his clothing while reviewing sensitive Clinton administration papers, officials said.
When asked, Berger said he returned some classified documents that he found in his office and all of the handwritten notes he had taken from the secure room, but said he could not locate two or three copies of the highly classified millennium terror report. [emphasis mine]
I would call all of this highly suspicious. Even more damaging is the fact that Sandy Berger is currently one of John F Kerry's campaign advisors. So, not only does Senator Kerry have the whole Joe Wilson debacle clouding his candidacy (Senator Kerry is also advised by Joe Wilson and has underwritten Mr. Wilson's website), he has another of his advisors, Sandy Berger, actively being investigated by the FBI for what may amount to a federal crime, theft of classified documents.
Could this have anything to do with Clinton's admitted failure to take advantage of the Sudanese offer in 1996 to turn Osama bin Laden over to the United States? Perhaps it's as innocent as former President Clinton seeking copies in order to prepare for his testimony before the Commission. Whatever the case, Mr. Berger has admitted to the commission of what seems to me to be a federal crime.
Lets call this one a developing story.
David Flanagan
Viewpointjournal.com
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - RJ
Sounds VERY suspicious. But, the media will let this one fade away, as they do with most Clinton scandals.
Remember how he apparently traded pardons for rich fugitives in exchange for donations?
Or how he arguably allowed important military technology to go to the Red Chinese in exchange for campaign cash?
This one will blow over too. The media is far more interested in how good-looking and pleasant Senator Edwards is, and how old-looking and sour VP Cheney seems...
2 - David Flanagan
the media will let this one fade away
You might be right, but if this turns major, the press won't be able to ignore it. Besides, the blogosphere will pick this one up fast and it will travel like wildfire. It's WAY too interesting to ignore.
Thanks.
David
3 - Hal Pawluk
With your interest in the FBI, do you have an update on the investigation into the White House leak of Plame's name, putting her life at risk? In that one, the entire White House is the "subject of an FBI probe."
The Berger thing looks like small potatoes in comparison, especially since he returned the materials he had. Your "emphasis added" doesn't mean anything, and Berger said:
"When I was informed by the Archives that there were documents missing, I immediately returned everything I had except for a few documents that I apparently had accidentally discarded."
Don't sweat the small stuff, D.
4 - David Flanagan
do you have an update on the investigation into the White House leak of Plame's name
Hal,
The entire Plame investigation is now in question due to the fact that Joe Wilson lied in saying that his wife never recommended him for the assignment when the opposite was true. Because Valerie recommended her husband, it gives credence to Novak's claim that the administration officials were not "outing" her but were instead calling into question Mr. Wilson's credibility. Really, Joe Wilson outed himself and his wife by going public with his accusations against the President; accusations which now seem to be completely wrong.
As for Sandy Berger, if you think stuffing classified notes down your pants is small stuff, then you need to review some of the federal laws regulating the handling of classified documents. By stuffing those notes in his pants, Berger was saying outright that he knew that what he was doing was wrong. Berger has made two public admissions so far, both are highly damning:
1) He "inadvertently" placed classified TERRORISM notes and documents in his briefcase and removed them from a secure area. I question the inadvertent because he archive aids reported his suspicious behaviour and the FBI began to investigate.
2) He LOST some of the copies of the documents that he removed from the archives. So, in the relatively short time between "inadvertantly" removing documents from the archives and the FBI searching his home, he LOST copies of highly classified terrorism documents.
He LOST HIGHLY CLASSIFIED TERRORISM DOCUMENTS. Can I stress the import of this admission any more?
Where did those copies go? Who has them? What information may now be in the hands of those who are not authorized to view such documents? Did he remove them accidentally, as he claims, or did he hope to cover for his old boss (Clinton), help his new boss (Kerry), or hurt the current administration (Bush).
You may spin this any way you like, Hal, but the guy is in serious trouble (notice that he's speaking now through his lawyer), and this story is not going to go away any time soon.
Thanks.
David
5 - David Flanagan
The Washington Post offers some coverage of this investigation, though, they are certainly not giving it front-page coverage.
Imagine if Condolleezza Rice were under investigation for this kind of thing, every mainstream news outlet in the world would be screaming "CONDOLEEZZA RICE STEALS CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS!!!!!!!"
Does the mainstream media have a liberal bias? Naaaaaahhhhh!
David
6 - David Flanagan
Hal,
Here is another article for your perusal regarding the Plame investigation:
Thanks
David
7 - Hal Pawluk
The entire Plame investigation is now in question due to the fact that Joe Wilson lied in saying that his wife never recommended him for the assignment when the opposite was true.
I'm glad to see that you're not repeating the lie that Wilson recanted about Bush lying, but nothing that has come up about him erases the fact that there's a felon in the White House who put Wilson's wife at risk. There is no question about that crime nor that investigation, except some muddling being attempted by neocons and their fellow-travelers.
You may spin this any way you like, Hal, but the guy is in serious trouble (notice that he's speaking now through his lawyer), and this story is not going to go away any time soon.
Sorry, David, but I'm just trying to counteract some of your spin. The tearing of hair and gnashing of teeth and echoes of "oh, woe is me, this is such a bad, bad thing" seems insincere.
And the right-wing opinion from the right-wing OpinonJournal doesn't add anything to the discussion.
8 - JR
David Flanagan: The entire Plame investigation is now in question...
According to you and what Justice Department?
9 - David Flanagan
There is no question about that crime
I disagree with you on this obviously. My bet is that the investigation will soon conclude with the finding that there is no fault to the Administration based on this evidence presented last week by the Senate Intelligence committee. If I'm wrong, you will, of course, have the right to tell me, "I told you so."
Thanks :-)
David
10 - Hal Pawluk
My bet is that the investigation will soon conclude with the finding that there is no fault to the Administration...
That's certainly likely, given how this administration operates.
That will not mean that no crime was committed.
11 - David Flanagan
Hal,
And the fact that an investigation was initiated in the first place does not mean there was any crime in the first place. Your logic works both ways.
BTW - A couple of telling quotes from the Senate Select Committe on Intelligence's report:
This report comment was in response to Wilson's claim that he had seen what he claimed to documents forged to make it look as if Saddam was seeking uranium in Niger. The committee report goes on to say:
And here are the conclusions of Senator Pat Roberts in the report:
Thanks.
David
12 - Hal Pawluk
And the fact that an investigation was initiated in the first place does not mean there was any crime in the first place. Your logic works both ways.
Of course, David, but I wish you had thought of that before posting the Stepford-neo line on the investigation of Berger.
As far as the report goes, I also wish you would personally read it - all of it - and come to your own conclusions rather than just passing on biased snippets from right wing rags. Keeping you straight on all the facts is just getting to be too much work.
13 - David Flanagan
Hal,
I actually read parts of the report on my own, such as the entire section dealing with Joe Wilson's accusations against President Bush, but, admittedly, I did not read it all. Eventually, as I have time, I will. Believe it or not, I find such things to be fascinating.
As for this posting regardnig Berger, BIG difference in that Berger has already admitted through his lawyer to taking classified documents from a secure room in the archives. He ONLY gave them back after he was confronted with a warrant by the FBI and a former National Security Advisor knows better than to claim ignorance.
As a matter of fact, Berger is claiming "sloppy behaviour," not ignorance because everyone knows that he knows better. Face it Hal, if it were Condoleezza Rice who had, for example, taken these documents, you wouldn't be attempting to cover for her.
You and I know this is a bad situation for Berger and will have an effect on anyone he associates with, including Clinton and Kerry. Furthermore, this story is not going away.
By the way, the AP announced today that Berger has stepped down as one of Kerry's advisors.
Thanks,
David
14 - Hal Pawluk
You're mis-stating it again, David: where on earth am I trying to cover for Berger? I'm just trying to separate neocon spin from reality.
But with the investigation going on since last year, isn't it funny that this story got leaked just two days before the 9/11 commission report?
Like the Tom Ridge Faux-alert a couple days before the Senate report?
Par for the course for this administration, though.
15 - David Flanagan
Par for the course for this administration, though.
Hal,
In Washington, there are few coincidences. I would call the timing of this leak perfect.
Don't you think it rather convenient that the 9/11 Commission report is being released JUST in time for the Democratic National Convention? WOW, lucky timing for Democrats! Golly gee!
As for the whole issue with Berger, it looks now as if the documents which were "disappeared" pertained to early drafts of a Richard Clarke memo to the Clinton Administration with broad critiques of how intelligence was being handled in the US and the need for serious reform. The versions which disappeared so conveniently (wow, another conveniently-timed event in Washington) had even stronger words and recommendations regarding the sharing of intelligence between agencies. If you'll remember, it was the Clinton Administration that advised the CIA and FBI that they had to go "beyond the law" in create a wall a seperation between the agencies, and that wall included information-sharing.
Ultimately, the Clinton Administration ignored every one of Clarke's recommendations. Guess I understand why he'd want to keep these drafts from the 9/11 Commission.
Thanks.
David
16 - Hal Pawluk
Don't you think it rather convenient that the 9/11 Commission report is being released JUST in time for the Democratic National Convention? WOW, lucky timing for Democrats! Golly gee!
Since Republicans are running the Commission, it's not the same thing.
Neither is a leak as contrasted to a report.
17 - JR
Actually, I think the timing would be far more convenient if the report were to be released during the Republican convention.
18 - kd
Funny how kCNN - Kerry Campaign News Network trys to sweep this story under the cyber rug by not having it on their homepage (AT ALL!) but Jenna Bush gets a spot for sticking her tongue out at the prying paparazzi.. Funny how something as trivial as the presidents daughter showing a little immature behavior gets priority over issues dealing with our nations security. I seriously fear if Kerry is elected, in which case we're all in a world of danger.. People better wake up and learn that the would is a much smaller place since 9/11 and our national security is not trivial or a joke. Proactivity will win the war on terror.. Kerry will sit around and try to please everyone - getting nothing done in the process. I hope we get a chance to post our views in forums like this when the radical Muslims and eventually the Chinese, take us over (if the libs get control of our precious country).
19 - boomcrashbaby
Funny how kCNN - Kerry Campaign News Network trys to sweep this story under the cyber rug by not having it on their homepage (AT ALL!)
Doesn't mean they didn't cover it. It was the top story on their news shows for several days now. And I don't see how the actions of Sandy Berger are related to John Kerry at all. Jenna has a much closer relation to her father than Sandy does to John.
People better wake up and learn that the would is a much smaller place since 9/11 and our national security is not trivial or a joke.
9/11 certainly opened my eyes. I am so serious about our security, this November I am going to be voting for the most qualified candidate with the best plan to fight terror. But Bush has many friends, associates and family members who have always helped him get a job, so I don't worry for him too much.
20 - Dan
"I don't see how the actions of Sandy Berger are related to John Kerry at all. Jenna has a much closer relation to her father than Sandy does to John."
Maha Rushie (Rush Limbaugh), addressed this on his show. He uncovered several news stories where Berger is described as a "top advisor" and one where Berger was thought to be a candidate for a cabinet post if Kerry is elected. One story had him articulate the substance of the Democratic platform to the news media, something Kerry hasn't been very good at, and something an "informal advisor" probably wouldn't undertake.
I think he's being distanced now for damage control.
21 - kd
"Doesn't mean they didn't cover it. It was the top story on their news shows for several days now."
Sorry, this story wasn't out "several days ago", but they had Bush's lost military records (on Clinton's watch, by the way)front page for nearly a week.hmmmm
"And I don't see how the actions of Sandy Berger are related to John Kerry at all."
huh? As Dan got to say before me, he was one of Kerry's TOP ADVISORS! ok, yeah, great.. Clinton's former National Security Adviser and a potential position being the same position in Kerry's cabinet! Accidently stuffing secret documents from the national archive down his pants - oops, sorry, I inadvertnaly took a couple of documents. Clumsy, 'ol me..
Even Bill Richardson Gov of NM (Clinton's Sec. of Energy & UN ambassador) is distancing himself by saying that Sandy was always sloppy.. even the Democrat's hero himself, William Jefferson Clinton is distancing himself by saying the same thing.. hmmmmm... seems this story is even too hot for even the king of smooth talk to handle. Responsibiliy is always shifting for these folks. pathetic.
22 - RJ
Hopefully the italics are gone now...
23 - RJ
Hmm. How about now?
24 - RJ
Oh, well. Screw the slanted text.
This won't have much impact on Kerry because he dropped Berger like a hot horse apple. Bush won't touch it because it's still being investigated. And the Conventions will wipe it off the media's radar screen.
25 - kd
"And the Conventions will wipe it off the media's radar screen"
kCNN has already started the process.