Obama’s ethics chief lashes out at Biden’s ‘appalling negligence’ over classified documents, breaking public trust by keeping it quiet for two months
- Biden’s own keeping of classified records reflects an inexcusable neglect of the most basic security protocols,” Shaub said
- He added that there was “nothing like Trump’s willful refusal to return classified records” that led to the Mar-a-Lago raid
- Secret files were found in Biden’s think tank office and garage in Wilmington
Obama-era ethics chief Walter Shaub exposed President Biden’s “neglect” by bringing secret files home and keeping them in his garage at his Wilmington residence and at his think-tank office.
Shaub said the difference between the classified files found at Biden’s residence and the Mar-a-Lago raid was “day and night,” though he called the current president’s behavior “appalling.”
“Trump knowingly resisted the National Archives’ requests for classified records that he appeared to have kept on purpose, and he stymied government efforts to recover them, while Biden immediately turned himself in and immediately turned the records over to the government,” Shaub said. who served as White House ethics chief from 2013 to 2017, told .
“That doesn’t mean Biden’s keeping of secret records was acceptable. The negligence in mishandling records, particularly those kept in his garage, is appalling,” he added.
Shaub also criticized the Biden team for not disclosing that documents were found at Biden’s home when they confirmed documents were found at the Penn Biden Center office.
“The White House has been completely unwilling to speak to the public about their discovery in more than one location,” he said.
Obama-era ethics chief Walter Shaub tore down President Biden’s “inexcusable negligence” when he brought secret files home and kept them in his garage at his Wilmington residence and at his think-tank office
Shaub also criticized the Biden team for not disclosing that documents were found at Biden’s home when they confirmed documents were found at the Penn Biden Center office
“But when you compare the two cases, there is no escaping the intentionality of Trump’s behavior. So far, there is no evidence that Biden intentionally kept records or resisted in any way turning them over to the government.
Ten documents were originally discovered by Biden’s attorneys at the think tank’s office on Nov. 2 and turned over to the National Archives.
On December 20, the President’s personal attorney told the Justice Department that additional documents had been found in the President’s garage next to his Corvette. On January 11, another document was found in a room next to the garage.
On Jan. 9, the White House confirmed media reports of the think tank’s office documents and on Jan. 12, it acknowledged the documents found in the garage, again only after new media reports.
Also on Jan. 12, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that Trump-appointed prosecutor Robert Hur would serve as special counsel to oversee the investigation of the documents.
Garland appointed a special counsel in November to oversee the investigation into Trump, including handling classified files.
Over the weekend, Republicans on Capitol Hill demanded they see visitor logs from Biden’s home to know who got near the documents. On Monday, the White House Office said there were no such records to release.
Secret documents were found in Biden’s garage next to his Corvette
“Like every president in decades of modern history, his personal residence is personal,” the White House Office said.
“But upon taking office, President Biden restored the norm and tradition of keeping White House visitor logs, including publishing them regularly after the previous administration ended them.”
Republicans also questioned whether anyone with “foreign connections” would have access to the documents, likely relating to the president’s son, Hunter Biden. Hunter’s overseas operations in China and Ukraine have been under scrutiny for years, and the US Attorney in Delaware is also investigating him for possible financial fraud.