Posted on 07/19/2004 5:07:42 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
AP: Clinton Adviser Probed in Terror Memos
3 minutes ago Add U.S. National - AP to My Yahoo!
By JOHN SOLOMON
WASHINGTON - President Clinton (news - web sites)'s national security adviser, Sandy Berger, is the focus of a criminal investigation after admitting he removed highly classified terrorism documents from a secure reading room during preparations for the Sept. 11 commission hearings, The Associated Press has learned.
Berger's home and office were searched earlier this year by FBI (news - web sites) agents armed with warrants. Some drafts of a sensitive after-action report on the Clinton administration's handling of al-Qaida terror threats during the December 1999 millennium celebration are still missing.
Berger and his lawyer said Monday night he knowingly removed handwritten notes he had taken from classified anti-terror documents he reviewed at the National Archives by sticking them in his jacket and pants. He also inadvertently took copies of actual classified documents in a leather portfolio, they said.
"I deeply regret the sloppiness involved, but I had no intention of withholding documents from the commission, and to the contrary, to my knowledge, every document requested by the commission from the Clinton administration was produced," Berger said in a statement to the AP.
Berger served as Clinton's national security adviser for all of the president's second term and most recently has been informally advising Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites). Clinton asked Berger last year to review and select the administration documents that would be turned over to the commission.
The FBI searched Berger's home and office with warrants earlier this year after employees of the National Archives told agents they believed they witnessed Berger put documents into his clothing while reviewing sensitive Clinton administration papers, officials said.
When asked, Berger said he returned some of the classified documents, which he found in his office, and all of the handwritten notes he had taken from the secure room, but said he could not locate two or three copies of the highly classified millennium terror report.
(Excerpt) Read more at story.news.yahoo.com ...
Ginsberg: "Kerry Must Answer This ESSENTIAL Point Re: Sandy Berger":
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1174857/posts
Here is what the Berger "down the pants flap" is all about:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1174864/posts
FR attention required: Clinton's consigliere, Lindsey, was contacted after Berger doc theft:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1174853/posts
Berger, Clarke Spin for Kerry on Iraq:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1101540/posts
"Sandy Berger Probed Over Terror Memos" - Put Documents IN HIS SOCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1174842/posts
Just saw a Senator from MO, a Republican no less (think his name was Senator Bond) interviewed on Fox. He pretty much was saying "no biggy". What is wrong with these people? If we can't our own party reps to say this is an outrage....ohhh, this just really ticks me off.
This is the time for our Republican leaders to be shouting from the rooftops about this criminal activity by Berger to any news outlet that will listen. Are they are so afraid of being called "partisan"! So what, we're going to be called that anyway! This is making me sick. /rant
Clinton = confusion
We really don't know yet if we survived his presidency.
If he really did put it in his socks as well as his pants, that really, really, looks juvenile and pathetic. Oh I hope so, I hope so!
Meanwhile, Berger is saying there is nothing sinister about his actions, it's all a big mistake. CNN is bringing up this story every half hour and giving it lots more time this morning than they did late last night.
He is denying stuffing his socks now..."a man with decades of experience handling classified documents," according to Hastert, "has a lot of explaining to do."
Dems are suggesting the timing stinks (that's the last angle in the story per CNN).
What I want to know is: was there a video camera working during Berger's lifting of the documents and if so, why hasn't it been released to FOX news?
I'm so very glad the DSL is still helpful to you! And thank you so much for the blessing. May God always bless you, hattend!
Hmmmm, not sure if it was in the reading room but if so, that does explain things.
Okay, here's my speculation as to how this went down, finally getting some pieces of the puzzle.
There was set up a 9/11 commission "reading room" that was overseen by the National Archive staff, and likely reviewed by the CIA types for national security, as according to the leak it was the NA staff that reported it. The reading room had been properly supplied with all pertinant material as ordered to the Archive staff.
Sandy Burglar went to the reading room and tried to remove, or DID remove, some of the documentation available to others as part of the shared system. NA staff saw Burglar stuffing some of the stuff down his pants and leaving.
I think the justice department set up a sting. So they replaced one of the copies that Burglar took out of the reading room with some sort of specially watermarked copy. Daring him, when he returned to steal more stuff, to RE-STEAL the copy that he had stolen yesterday...oh drat, Burglar said to himself, someone figured out that this was missing....
That's how they caught him. A warrant and boom, that special watermarked copy was in his house.
I don't buy that Burglar made a "mistake" and forgot all the originals were safe back in the NA. Burglar wanted to remove those documents from the reading room so that whoever else had access to those documents wouldn't see them. And why would they ask to see them if they didn't know they exist? It was a desperate move but hey, another FOB eats dirt for the King and Queen.
Yesterday the justice dept notified the 9/11 commission about the investigation because, well I think they had to. Someone from the 9/11 commission leaked it.
However it's been weirdly phrased up to this missive, I think Bruce Lindsay was contacted simply because Burglar gave him Lindsay's name as his attorney. Burglar was probably told all that stuff about an attorney and hey, he's entitled to his rights under the constitution too.
Okay, back to more wool-gathering.
Berger Docugate ping
The New York Times: (212) 556-7652
The New York Post: (212) 930-8000
ABC: 212-456-7777
CBS: 212-975-4321
NBC: 212-664-4444
CNN: 404-237-0234
Fox:1-888-369-4762
NY York Daily News (212) 210-NEWS
LA Times 877-554-4000
In criminal terms, the words to flag are "to my knowledge", stated by the man who was in control of, in possession of, and stole said documents to begin with. If he HAD handed over all the requested documents, he'd have said "all the requested documents were handed over to the commission" without hesitation. That would have been the gut reaction of an innocent man.
This sounds too much like Hillary getting a sudden hankering to play WhiteHousefrau and shred White Water documents that could have resulted in her conviction.
Yeah, I saw Kip Bond, too. I expected it from the democrat, but Bond has joined the "move along, nothing to see here" crowd.
Denny Hastert ping. Good job, Speaker.
Useful? Alamo-Girl, your records are historic!! Thanks!!!
Hey, I've got it stuck in my head that Berger testified for the Starr report, but can't find anything on it. Do you recall that?
Federal probe targets Clinton's national security adviser
From John King, CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Samuel Berger, former President Clinton's national security adviser, is under federal criminal investigation for allegedly removing classified documents and handwritten notes from a National Archives screening room during preparations for his testimony before the 9/11 commission.
Sources familiar with the investigation confirmed it to CNN on Monday.
The sources told CNN the investigation began last October, after Berger spent roughly 30 hours over three or four days reviewing what one said was "tens of thousands of pages" of Clinton administration documents to comply with a request from the 9/11 commission.
Berger was designated as the official from the Clinton administration who would review documents relevant to commission inquiries. He was also a witness at the 9/11 commission hearings and reviewed records to prepare for his personal testimony.
The Associated Press first reported the story Monday.
In a statement, Berger acknowledged that he removed his handwritten notes without first having them reviewed for sensitive information, and he also said he "inadvertently" removed some of the classified documents he had reviewed during his time at the Archives.
National Archives' policy requires that if someone reviews classified documents and wants to take their handwritten notes with them, those notes must first be cleared by archivists.
In his statement, Berger said that "when I was informed by the Archives there were documents missing, I immediately returned everything I had, except for a few documents that apparently I had accidentally discarded."
"I deeply regret the sloppiness involved, but I had no intention of withholding documents from the commission, and to the contrary, to my knowledge, every document requested by the commission from the Clinton administration was produced," he said.
A Berger associate, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the FBI served warrants and searched both Berger's home and office earlier this year as part of the investigation.
A government official familiar with the investigation said that some documents are still missing.
Among the documents Berger says he inadvertently took, the sources confirmed, were drafts of a Clinton administration "after action" report on efforts to thwart al Qaeda around the time of the millennium.
Archives officials told investigators that at least one draft of that report is still missing.
Officials close to Berger said it was ludicrous to suggest that he was trying to hide damaging information from the 9/11 commission.
They said the drafts were written by Clinton counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke and had been changed somewhat, as is customary, as the drafts were circulated among relevant agencies and officials.
But the sources close to Berger said there were other copies of the drafts, that the commission had the final version of the report and that Clarke had said there were not significant changes during the drafting process.
The sources said the FBI had contacted Berger several months ago and that he hired Lanny Breuer, who has since been in contact with prosecutors.
Berger has stressed his willingness to cooperate, but investigators have not asked to speak directly with him as yet, the sources said.
Asked if it unusual that Berger has not yet been interviewed, the government official familiar with the investigation responded that investigators would do so once they are satisfied they have the evidence they need.
Sources close to Berger said they did not believe there was a grand jury impaneled as part of the investigation and that to the best of their knowledge, Clarke and other Clinton administration officials who have knowledge of the documents in question -- and specifically about any changes made in the drafting process of the millennium report -- have not been questioned.
One of these sources questioned the timing of the leak, three days before the public release of the 9/11 commission report.
"There is a story here, and Sandy concedes he made an inadvertent mistake," one source, a former Clinton administration colleague, said. "But this has been kept confidential for months. So why now?"
A Justice Department spokesman had no comment when asked about the Berger probe.
Berger currently serves as an informal adviser to the campaign of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry.
http://cnn.law.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=CNN.com+-+Federal+probe+targets+Clinton%27s+national+security+adviser+-+Jul+20%2C+2004&expire=-1&urlID=11058358&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2004%2FLAW%2F07%2F20%2Fberger.probe%2Findex.html&partnerID=2013
...Accidentally, of course.
Bill O'Reily
E-mail: oreilly@foxnews.com
Sean Hannity
hannity@foxnews.com
Let's FREEP Alan Colmes while we're at it!
colmes@foxnews.com
Phylis Schlafly
eagle@eagleforum.org
Oliver North
http://www.northamerican.com/-cybercall/pg-call.htm
Janet Parshall, conservative talk show host
(703) 276-8597
Fax: (703) 516-7212
E-Mail us at: info@jpamerica.com
Brit Hume
Special Report with Brit Hume
Special@foxnews.com
Hugh Hewitt (conservative talk show host/columnist)
http://www.hughhewitt.com/
Michael Medved (conservative talk show host/columnist)
http://www.michaelmedved.com/contact.shtml
Yes, he did. McCain was on the committee with Kerry. Waiting for him to bite Bush in the hand...he normally does it about once a week, so he's overdue.
Well, of course! He didn't mean to do it, but President Bush made him so mad about the whole Iraq/Halliburton thing, that he was enraged, grabbed the fisrt thing he saw and started shredding.
Really, if you think about it, its Bush's fault. And Halliburton, too.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.