Cyncoper writes: "Okey Doke.
What's the explanation for "discarding" some of the documents?
What's the explanation for sharing the info with the Kerry campaign?"
I can't explain it all. I explained the security system at the Archives a few years ago when I was there was that you took notes on paper they gave you and you showed the staff your notes when you left. You can't have bags. Just pencils. They look at the notes you take to make sure you don't have any of their papers, which are stamped. Hiding your own notes suggests you are hiding archive materials.
There is nothing accidental about taking stuff out. You are allowed to have pencils. They give you paper and you show them all your notes when you leave. You can't even take in a "to do" list. There are very strict rules there. I would be scared to take in an extra Kleenex.
That said, Mr. Berger was asked to testify to the 9-11 Commission. He has to go back to the record to do this. The government should make it easier for him to get the information than taking notes.
So far, the Republican Senators have not offered any evidence that this research was done for Kerry and not for the 9-11 Commission. I just saw a Republican on FOX say that "Kerry knows better than to use classified documents if he did." IF HE DID. The Republican Senators are just tying Berger's actions to Kerry with no evidence by their own admission.
Discarding the documents is more troublesome. They are all stamped so you can't confuse theim with your own papers.
Spin, spin, spin. Quit reading your DNC talking points. The government didn't make him STEAL those CLASSIFIED documents! He had no excuse for taking them and for you to try to spin it is totally dishonest and condones his THEFT. I suggest you head right on over to DU since I'm sure they'll be using the same talking points you are.
Sorry if someone has asked this - - I'm a little late to the party. Are there video cameras in the rooms at the National Archives? If so, I think someone may have been on "candid camera"!
The National Archives classified reading room employs the same handling requirements as a SCIF-Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility. The information is what is classified, regardless of the media, so Berger was not even allowed to take out his own notes! Doing so is a violation of Archives policy and quite possibly federal law. However, since he was reviewing documents for the 9/11 Commission, arrangements could have been made for him to have notes from which to give testimony during the hearings, although heavily redacted, and he could have had a private session with only the commissioners and no public present. However, given the fact that he destroyed some documents, it appears as though he was most likely after documents that are embarrassing to him and the Clinton administration.