After promising the “highest standards of transparency” in United States history, the Biden administration has failed to comply with the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into President Joe Biden’s mishandling of top-secret documents. Biden pledged the highest standards of transparency, would be “revitalized” and implemented within his administration, in a letter he issued, on February 4, 2021. Biden’s letter stated-
“In a democracy, the public deserves as much transparency as possible regarding the work of our national security institutions, consistent with legitimate needs to protect sources and methods and sensitive foreign relationships,” …“The revitalization of our national security and foreign policy workforce requires a recommitment to the highest standards of transparency,”
-President Joe Biden
Essentially to date, Biden has failed to live up to his promised standard. Rep. James Comer, the chair of the House Oversight Committee, on Wednesday, requested the National Archives disclose-
“all documents and communications between or among the White House and the Department of Justice or NARA [National Archives and Records Administration] regarding the documents retrieved from President Biden’s personal office at the Penn Biden Center.”
-Rep. James Comer, Chairman, House Oversight Committee
As of Saturday, The National Archives has apparently not complied. According to Fox News, Comer said that the National Archives is stonewalling the Oversight Committee’s investigation. In his statement Comer observed-
“I have jurisdiction over the national archives. This agency is supposed to do a briefing anytime something like this happens. They have not,” ….“Not only have they not given us a briefing, even though we’ve requested one, they have not answered any of our simple requests for information.”
-Rep. James Comer, Chairman, House Oversight Committee
However, the blame game, brewing within the Biden administration, regarding who is responsible for the mishandling of classified documents, some of which are top-secret, has come center stage. It would seem that Biden administration officials, are blaming the National Archives for refusing to treat then-Vice President Biden’s records, with the “same high regard” as it did former President Obama’s records, according to CNN. In their report, they claim-
“While the National Archives sends staff members to the White House to gather files and papers of the President, they do not treat all vice-presidential papers with the same high regard, officials said,” …citing… “former and current administration officials and others familiar with the process.”
-CNN Report
Reportedly, law enforcement officials have begun interviewing individuals, who would have been responsible for the violation. Biden’s former executive assistant Kathy Chung, hired to the post after a recommendation from Hunter Biden, was questioned by law enforcement. Their questioning of Chung, is said to be regarding these classified documents, retrieved so far from three separate locations, according to NBC News.
As Biden’s assistant, Chung who gained employment, in part due to a recommendation by Hunter Biden, according emails found on to Hunter’s laptop, would have been privy to Biden’s possible movement of these documents. Chung and
Hunter remained in close contact over the course of Biden’s tenure as vice president. Reportedly, their correspondence ,included arranging Biden family business meetings, with former University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann, who oversaw the Biden Penn Center.
In an apparently attempt to pass the buck, on the negligence discovered so far, representing the irresponsible behavior of Biden, the While White House appears to be trying to deflect blame. On Thursday, former Department of Justice prosecutor ,Andrew McCarthy, argued that Biden has already admitted guilt. However, Biden has claimed no knowledge of the violation. McCarthy stated -
“That’s not a defense to a charge of mishandling classified information,”. It is tantamount to an admission of guilt.” And… “For conviction, federal law requires prosecutors to establish that the defendant was grossly negligent. There is no need to prove that an accused was trying to harm the United States; just that he was trusted with classified information and carelessly flouted the standards for safeguarding it,”
-Andrew McCarthy, Former Department of Justice Prosecutor
That Comer has to sift and sort through the Biden administrations blame game, makes it clear, that Biden’s has no intention of being as “transparent” as he pledged. It would only take a phone call on his part, to urge the National Archives to comply. Apparently, he has chosen to do otherwise.
It would seem, it is far better to keep back, from any investigation, the facts, to allow more speculation, time and uncertainly to mount, as opposed to taking honest responsibility for urging, any and all entities possible to comply with the Oversight Committee’s investigation. Again, Joe Biden’s words are worth nothing.
"As we must account for every idle word, so must we account for every idle silence."
-Benjamin Franklin