Let’s be honest, when classified documents were hauled out of Mar-a Lago, FL at past President Trump’s private residence many democrats giggled and displayed shock at the findings. And then Trump, well, being Trump said that he’d just declassify the documents even though he was no longer president. It’s been a good laugh for sure and even many republicans were shocked and disappointed about the incident as it made Trump and the Republican Party look bad, not to mention the seriousness of having lost top-secret documents boxed up in a closet at Mar-a-Lago.
Recently it was President Biden’s turn with the FBI finding classified documents at the Willington, Delaware home of the President. This discovery was the fourth time since last November that classified documents or material was found at the private residence of Biden. Sure, Biden has been involved in politics since 1973 and I can only imagine the volumes of documents leaders receive in Washington, but shouldn’t classified documents be tracked a little better? How can those be just mixed in with budget info and the dinner menu for the Christmas dinner at the white house?
Today, more classified documents were found at former Vice President Pence’s Indiana home after Pence asked his attorney to review stored boxes out of an ‘abundance of caution’ after learning that more documents were found at Biden’s house.
Lo and behold, a ‘small number’ of classified documents was discovered last week there too! Pence’s attorney, Greg Jacob, said that the documents were discovered on January 16th after Pence asked ‘outside counsel’ to look for records bearing the classified markings. Guess the documents were “inadvertently boxed and transported” to Pence’s home at the end of the Trump administration.
Inadvertently boxed? Like some staffer was told to box up the documents from Pence’s desk and those top-secret classified documents were just mixed in with well-wish letters from Pence supporters? Shouldn’t those have been in a safe and special location, perhaps locked up for safekeeping?
It seems that the issue is not really a political one as both parties seem to be struggling with securing important documents. But please Washington staff and all elected officials, do better with how to handle classified material. It was deemed classified for a reason and to have these documents just mixed in with other papers seems extremely careless.
I’d hate to have classified documents fall into the wrong hands… you know, even inadvertently. In the words of the late, great, Marvin Gaye: ‘What’s Going On’. (One of my favorite songs and the words are so true today)
-Rick Bella, Ward 5 Town Councilman, and President of the Merrillville Town Council