16-01-2023, 09:32 AM
UPDATED JAN 15, 2023, 11:13 AM SGT
WASHINGTON – The latest discovery of classified material at Mr Joe Biden’s home in Wilmington, Delaware, highlights the long-term political and legal risk to the President from a rapidly unfolding investigation that could yield further damaging revelations.
Disclosure after disclosure last week about sensitive papers at Mr Biden’s office and private residence embarrassed and undermined the President, his attorneys and spokesmen, who have argued that they are handling it by the book. While they have claimed they took appropriate precautions, promptly informed the government and arranged the return of materials, they say they must weigh disclosures to the public against legal considerations.
But the decision to wait more than two months, until after midterm elections, to disclose the initial discovery of classified documents has fanned criticism of the President’s commitment to transparency that has only grown as Mr Biden and his team stumbled through the subsequent days.
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the risk is that the case spirals in unforeseen directions, or that additional revelations provide Republicans with enough ammunition to sustain a consistent political attack. Special counsel investigations in the past – including the probe into ties between Mr Trump’s campaign and Russia – have often overtaken a presidency. In 2016, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s use of a private e-mail server – a controversy Democrats now mock with the phrase “but her e-mails” – may have cost her the presidency.
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The statement also said that the President’s lawyers had “completed” their search on Wednesday evening of Mr Biden’s homes in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre emphasised to reporters that the search was over. “You should assume that it’s been completed,” she said at a briefing last Thursday.
That was not the case.
In fact, because Mr Biden’s personal attorneys lacked security clearances, they halted their review last Wednesday when they discovered the classified page at Mr Biden’s home in Wilmington.
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/unite...ted-crisis
WASHINGTON – The latest discovery of classified material at Mr Joe Biden’s home in Wilmington, Delaware, highlights the long-term political and legal risk to the President from a rapidly unfolding investigation that could yield further damaging revelations.
Disclosure after disclosure last week about sensitive papers at Mr Biden’s office and private residence embarrassed and undermined the President, his attorneys and spokesmen, who have argued that they are handling it by the book. While they have claimed they took appropriate precautions, promptly informed the government and arranged the return of materials, they say they must weigh disclosures to the public against legal considerations.
But the decision to wait more than two months, until after midterm elections, to disclose the initial discovery of classified documents has fanned criticism of the President’s commitment to transparency that has only grown as Mr Biden and his team stumbled through the subsequent days.
......
the risk is that the case spirals in unforeseen directions, or that additional revelations provide Republicans with enough ammunition to sustain a consistent political attack. Special counsel investigations in the past – including the probe into ties between Mr Trump’s campaign and Russia – have often overtaken a presidency. In 2016, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s use of a private e-mail server – a controversy Democrats now mock with the phrase “but her e-mails” – may have cost her the presidency.
......
The statement also said that the President’s lawyers had “completed” their search on Wednesday evening of Mr Biden’s homes in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre emphasised to reporters that the search was over. “You should assume that it’s been completed,” she said at a briefing last Thursday.
That was not the case.
In fact, because Mr Biden’s personal attorneys lacked security clearances, they halted their review last Wednesday when they discovered the classified page at Mr Biden’s home in Wilmington.
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/unite...ted-crisis