Posted on 07/20/2004 6:21:13 PM PDT by ambrose
Berger, Under Attack, Steps Aside as Kerry Adviser
Tue Jul 20, 2004 08:46 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former national security adviser Samuel Berger, under investigation for removing classified documents from the National Archives, stepped aside on Tuesday as an informal adviser to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.
The probe of Berger, who served under former President Bill Clinton, escalated into an election-year firefight as Republicans accused Berger of stealing the documents for use by Kerry's campaign and Democrats questioned the probe's timing.
"Sandy Berger is my friend, and he has tirelessly served this nation with honor and distinction," Kerry said in a statement. "I respect his decision to step aside as an adviser to the campaign until this matter is resolved objectively and fairly."
Berger said he had made a mistake and had dealt with the matter "fully and completely."
"Last year when I was in the archives reviewing documents I made an honest mistake. It's one that I deeply regret," he said in a statement to reporters.
"Everything that I have done all along in this process has been for the purpose of aiding and supporting the work of the 9/11 commission and any suggestion to the contrary is simply absolutely wrong," he said.
On Monday, Berger and one of his lawyers said he had inadvertently removed copies of a classified memo and his handwritten notes on the material as he reviewed it to determine what Clinton administration-era documents could be turned over to the commission looking into the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
The FBI, executing a warrant, searched Berger's office and home earlier this year.
Lanny Breuer, Berger's attorney, said he was told the government appreciated Berger's cooperation. "And then today, a couple of days before the 9/11 commission report comes out, the whole thing gets leaked," he said.
A Justice Department official refused to comment.
Republicans accused Berger of taking the documents so they could be used by the Kerry campaign at a news conference on port security, a charge Democrats said was ludicrous.
"Right after the documents were taken, John Kerry held a photo op and attacked the president on port security," said Rick Santorum, a Republican senator from Pennsylvania. "The documents that were taken may have been utilized for that press conference."
Democrats said the timing of the leak about the investigation and the Republican criticisms were meant to distract from Thursday's release of a report by the commission looking into the Sept. 11 attacks.
"I think the timing of all this is curious," Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota said.
Kerry spokesman Phil Singer said Republicans were "playing politics with a criminal investigation" and also questioned the leak of the investigation and the Republican attacks.
"This appears to be a partisan attempt to divert attention away from the 9/11 commission report," Singer said.
The White House declined to comment on the investigation of Berger.
Under attack? Interesting characterization.
Dennis Miller said Kerry would drop Berger faster than a poor wife.
Five times?
Tom Dashole,"Saddened but deeply curious."
By placing leather attache cases in your pants?
Okay, I'llbe the one
IT WAS BUSH'S FAULT!
I also noticed the headline. The article begins, "under investigation," which the headline writer has changed to "under attack." Typical Reuters dishonesty. They take a justice department investigation and make it sound like a republican attack.
Good thing Daschle didn't say there was "footdragging."
That might remind folks of Berger's previous problems with handling alleged Chinese spying at US labs.
Clinton denies dragging feet on China spy probe
As the investigation into possible Chinese government-backed espionage at U.S. nuclear laboratories widened, President Clinton Thursday rejected accusations his administration responded improperly to the spying allegations.
Well, he is the first lib they didn't have to drag kicking and screaming from his job.
It's a democrat thing, we will never understand. The fifth time is the charm, Sandy(boy). Klintoon is worried about his commie ass being in the sling. No one above the law, either democrat or republican. Bush/Cheney 2004
Hey, Sandy--it's possible to walk out of the public library with a book you accidentally forgot to check out. However, if the book is hidden in your pants, efforts to describe the act as "inadvertent" tend to fall on deaf ears.
Note: It is "inadvertent" and not "inadvertant." At least let's spell the lies correctly.
They didn't accuse .. BERGER ADMITTED TO TAKING THE DOCUMENTS AND NOTES .. WHICH IS ILLEGAL
Berger said he had made a mistake and had dealt with the matter "fully and completely."
Sorry Sandy .. There are some documents that ARE STILL MISSING
If Berger inadvertantly pulled this caper in October, then when did he inform John Kerry that he was under investigation?
The media is playing this as a Republican dirty trick. They're purposely leaving out the damning details. I still don't expect anything to come of this.
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