President Joe Biden is pleading ignorance regarding the classified documents his attorneys found at a Washington, D.C. office he held between 2017 and 2019.
Asked about the discovery of the classified documents he had from the time as Vice President held in a private office, Biden revealed he had been briefed about the discovery but was “surprised to learn” about “government records” being taken to his office.
The President also stated, “my lawyers have not suggested I ask what documents they were,” in response to the question asked on Tuesday (January 10) at the North American Leaders’ Summit.
Biden’s remarks on Tuesday were the first the President made about the discovery since it was reported the day before.
After CBS News broke the story, the President’s special counsel only confirmed the discovery of classified documents in Biden’s personal office.
Biden’s attorneys found the documents six days before the 2022 midterm elections.
According to reports, they were in a locked cabinet in an office Biden held from 2017 to 2019 when he was an honorary professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
Biden repeated the response from the White House counsel, saying his attorneys found boxes with classified documents and immediately handed them over to the U.S. National Archives.
He added that the Department of Justice was reviewing the matter and that more information would only be available once that review was complete.
Although the DOJ has yet to disclose what its review entails, under the Presidential Records Act, Presidents and Vice Presidents must turn over classified material to the National Archives for secure storage when vacating their office.
