Posted on 07/19/2004 5:07:42 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
AP: Clinton Adviser Probed in Terror Memos
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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 ...
Bingo. The only problem is that the current timing of the leak is going to damage the report of the 9/11 commission. First we have the Wilson lie, which is apparently fully exposed in the 9/11 commission report, then we have the Berger document theft, which throws into doubt whether the commission had enough of the documents to make an accurate assessment of the pre 9/11 situation. When you combine the missing documents with the presence of other Clintonistas on the commission itself, you get a big fat zero for cheating.
Short answer.................NO.
I wonder about the Clarke stuff too. He is neck deep in it already, but will probably be completely buried before this is through—whether by his own doing, or as the fall guy for the Clinton admin.
it's not a good sign for Berger that he hasn't been interviewed.
Interesting.
I hope there are at least a couple reporters left out there in the mainstream media who are going to stay on this like they're Woodward & Bernstein, so to speak, and not let papers like the NYT and LAT keep burying it in the middle pages...
What do you mean you can't imagine what the Clintons have on Berger???? They've got the Los Alamos lab security document theft. Berger would take the whole burden on that one if it ever was re-visited.
Berger claims he was going to turn the documents back over to the 911 commission. My question is when? and, Isn't the report already written? Is the 911 commission going to rewrite the report to put Clinton, Kerry and Berger in the Al-Qaida links?
Back in their time, there was no Internet. Now the mainstreams will be forced to pay attention because of all the Web attention. At least, that's my take on it . . .
Give it time. Like the 16-word Niger story, sometimes it takes a while for the truth to come out, but come out it does.
Woah, wait a second.
Has anyone matched up the dates of Monica visits to the W.H. with the date of the actionable intelligence on UBL's whereabouts?
It would be curtains for the Clintons if ole Bill missed his chance to get Usama because he was engaged in, shall we say, other activities.
Hillary is shreaking....Our ship is leaking!!!!!!!
No comment by ABC reporter or Dems on seriousness of the charge - it's illegal to steal classified documents, it's illegal to steal copies of them, and a national security advisor knows that full well.
Gotta run...Bookmarking this page to finish later.
It's a clue.....Socks (the cat) went to Curre, Clinton's secretary who gave Monica her free passes "TO THE WING".
Happy 6th Anniversary Howlin!!!
The temperature in Hell has been reduced.
I won't look for a blizzard until Brokejaw reports
it...but then again I'll never see it if he does since I don't watch leftist pappaganda'. [You know, a pappa ganda marries a mamma ganda and they have lots of little goslings]
I think you're on the right track. The problem for Berger now is there are probably several copies of the stolen drafts of the Millenium Plot After Action Report, both in the NA and in several departments in the Administration that reveiwed the drafts at the time. Ashcroft must be furious, given that this report was not brought to his attention by the previous Administration (including Dick Clarke). He must be very curious (if he already doesn't know) what was in those stolen copies of the draft report. My guess is that the draft report did suggest going after bin Laden and al Queada and Clinton vetoed such a move and had it removed from the final draft. The drafts may even include hand written notes detailing what Clinton wanted removed.
He was rather adamant when he testified and I believe he stated that things were missing. I believe he almost tipped the Dems off that something would occur in the future (like this) and I believe he was asked to "lighten up" on a portion of his testimony.
I agree....Where is Sandy now??
Straightening out his sock drawer.
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