Berger investigated for taking classified reports

Washington Times ^ | Tuesday, July 20, 2004

[JohnHuang2]

The Washington Times
www.washingtontimes.com

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Berger investigated for taking classified reports

Published July 20, 2004

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ASSOCIATED PRESS
    President Clinton's national security adviser, Samuel R. Berger, is the focus of a criminal investigation after removing highly classified documents and handwritten notes from a secure reading room while preparing for the September 11 commission hearings.
    Mr. Berger's home and office were searched earlier this year by FBI agents authorized with warrants.
    Some drafts of a sensitive after-action report on the Clinton administration's handling of al Qaeda terror threats during the December 1999 millennium celebration are still missing.
    Mr. Berger and his attorney told the Associated Press last night that he knowingly removed handwritten notes that he had taken from classified anti-terror documents he reviewed at the National Archives by sticking them in his jacket and pants.
    He inadvertently took copies of actual classified documents in a leather portfolio and also accidentally threw away some documents, they said.

[vollmond]

I hope you're right, but Berger has two choices ahead... do a Susan McDougal and stonewall or a Jim McDougal and cooperate. Which choice do you think looks more attractive to him?

Only one of those two are still alive. I'm just saying.

[R. Scott]

I was President Clinton's national security adviser! Security laws and regulations don’t apply to me!

[R. Scott]

How does one inadvertantly stuff papers down his pants?

He was thinking of Clinton’s bathroom hobby while reading the papers?

[Brilliant]

Berger was trying to cover up documents that were embarrassing to him and to Clinton.

[rod1]

Yeah Sandy knew he needed to steal both the original and a copy.

Can't really claim he did not know the law coClinton hacks try everything--as evidence--Gorelick has certainly tried to claim her "The Wall" memo did not really have any effect despite her being number 2 at Justice and explicit about twhat was to be done.

Book him Danno.

[ErnBatavia]

I don't think people understand the implications of this.

...and the media damn well knows it; this story will be dead by sundown Friday - won't even warrant a mention on the famous "Sunday Talk Shows".

[rod1]

Obviously Berger's stuffed pants act was an attempt to cover up something that was huge and previously thought to be behind him.

[ErnBatavia]

Fox & Friends Tues. morning: NYT has the Sandy Berger story on page A17 at the bottom of the page.

I withdraw my "story dead by Friday" post....should have said "Tuesday". These guys remain bulletproof.

[Corin Stormhands]

Unfortunately, I ain't gonna be able to make the RTM today. Somebody raise and extry glass fer me when y'all toast the sultan.

[jokar]

Ping for the archive.

[iceskater]

Thanks for the ping.

See you at lunch.

[boris]

My letter to the L.A. Times:

Editor
Los Angeles Times

Sir:

Conveniently buried on page A13 of today's Times, we find more evidence--as if any were needed--of the criminality and moral bankruptcy of the Clinton Administration and its henchmen. Sandy Berger being the case in point. The Times also conveniently forgot to mention that--in addition to 'inadvertently' committing several crimes including tampering with evidence, tampering with National Archives, theft of documents, etc., Mr. Berger also 'inadvertently' destroyed ("mislaid" or "discarded") several documents which he ' inadvertently ' removed from the Archive.

It's the "we're not crooks, we're just incompetent" defense which served the Clintons and their aides so well over 8 years. Mr. Berger--like dozens of other Clinton minions--deserves to be in Federal Prison, but that is highly unlikely to happen when we live in a nation in which justice is served up differently for the well-connected and politically important.

Had Mr. Berger been a Bush advisor, you’re A-13 story would have been splashed on page 1 in 48-point type, correct?

[ErnBatavia]

Very Good - shall we make a $5.00 wager (payable to Free Republic of course) that it will or won't see print?

[boris]

oops. "You're == your". Need caffeine.

[boris]

"Very Good - shall we make a $5.00 wager (payable to Free Republic of course) that it will or won't see print?"

I pay FR automatically each month.

And the LAT publishes me no more than twice a year--although I usually send them one letter a day.

So I won't take the bet!

--Boris

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Mudboy Slim]

We'll miss you, dude, but I'm sure our paths will cross before the next RTM in September...MUD

[Rooivalk]

Excellent pic!

[Doctor Stochastic]

How does one inadvertantly stuff papers down his pants?

Or as (put your favorite here) said: "Are you stealing classified documents or are you just glad to see me?"

[jriemer]

The Dem Convention will be overshadowed by this story, Ted Kennedy will be reduced to comparing how easy he was able to sweep the scandal of Mary Jo's drowning under the rug because Ted is well versed in the art of excusing Death and Treason and still preserve their electability to be re-elected.

We thought the same about the discovery of Dick Morris and the hooker during that Clinton convention. That didn't seem to alter coverage at all.