Posted on 04/02/2005 2:27:50 PM PST by rightalien
Former national security advisor Sandy Berger wasn't trying to conceal information when he stuffed five copies of a top secret terrorism report in his pants and socks during two trips to the National Archives in 2003 - before taking the documents home and cutting three of the copies "into small pieces."
That was the claim yestderday of Noel Hillman, chief of the Justice Department's public integrity section, as he tried to explain to Washington, D.C. Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson why Berger should be let off the hook with a minor fine and no jailtime.
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Berger "did not have an intent to hide any of the content of the documents," Hillman insisted with a straight face. Instead, he explained, department lawyers concluded that Berger took the documents merely for personal convenience - to prepare for his and President Clinton's testimony before the Sept. 11 Commission - and not to hide any embarrassing evidence, the Washington Post said Saturday.
A report in Friday's New York Times, however, cast substantial doubt on that conclusion.
"In comparing the versions [of the stolen documents] at his office later that day, [Berger] realized that several were essentially the same, and he cut three copies into small pieces," the paper reported, sourcing a Berger "associate."
Aware of the problem, prosecutor Hillman told the judge that the top Clinton official only had copies of the documents - not the originals - and so he was not charged with the more serious crime of destroying documents.
Still, questions remain about whether the copies Berger destroyed had original handwritten notes in the margins - possibly written by other Clinton officials who had reviewed the material when it was first written.
In a brief statement outside the federal courthouse yesterday, Berger said, "I exercised very poor judgment in the course of reviewing documents at the National Archives. I deeply regret it."
But he insisted that his only motivation was to adequately prepare himself and "others" to answer questions from 9/11 probers.
Berger wasn't asked to explain why he destroyed three out of the five copies he had stolen.
" when he stuffed five copies of a top secret terrorism report in his pants and socks .."
This is from The Onion, right ??
Somebody ping Winona Ryder and Mark Geragos so they can get her conviction for shoplifting overturned.
Stealing is apparently now officially sanctioned.
But, at least Saks got their merchandise back.
That too.
There aren't even two parties any more. There's a pro-gun and an anti-gun version of the same party.
"I agree. If this wasn't a coverup; then what the you know what was it?"
Would you believe, that Clinton ( Bill, Hillary, Sox, Buddy-take your pick) dispatched Saint Berger on this mission, for the sole purpose of exposing the Bush Administrations lax attitude toward protecting secret documents- especially such documents that might reveal the absolute incompentence of the Clinton regime ??????
Berger actually had every intention of returning those secret documents, as soon as they were sufficiently altered to cover the asses of the Clinton regime. Unfortunately, Berger had earlier that day, pigged out on , cajun food, mexican food and soul food and released not a smidgen of the methane that accompanies such food into our intestines and therein expands to the extremes. SAdly and unexpectedly (believe in fairy tales?)Bergers bowels finally blew their blast, as soon as Berger's, bulging bloomers were stuffed to the bursting point.
The only thing that survived was the elastic waist band around Berger's drawers, and his firm conviction that we are not only too stupid to question his alibi, but too blind to notice that his big fat ass is shining just like a full moon.
..and the stain on Monica's blue dress was only mayonnaise.
Can you (in your wildest dreams) imagine a "National Security Advisor" that uses scissors instead of a paper shredder"?
It's time for us all (Hello, MSM) to call things as we see them.
This guy (Berger/Burglar) has the typical integrity of Clinton and most of his appointees.
Think about it!!!!
The "National Security Advisor".
Could anyone (in their "non-biased" right mind), even consider, that his actions were "an honest mistake"?
Brooklyn Bridge for sale; enter your bid here!...
Probably drool-didn't she purchase it at a yard sale at a Rest home?
Licorice: "Licorice reporting for duty.
Word among the feral moles, hamsters, rats, mice is
that you American humans are postively suckers.
You'll will get one iota of justice or border protection
when I rule Trump Tower and the casinos of Las Vegas."
It depends on what cover up is.
And I am sure sandy berger would not lie, and I landed on Mars last Tuesday, it was a beautiful sight.
But the flight back was too slow.............and
Perhaps the goal is to encourage theft of CODE LEVEL documents.
Perhaps the goal is that morality just isn't ground in the dirt low enough yet.
Perhaps those at the top work with, for, or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, al Qaeda.
Food for thought:
Berger repeatedly rebuffed Sudanese offers to hand Osama bin Laden
to the United States in a deal brokered by a $900,000 contributor to Democrat campaigns.
Source 1 - National Review, "Clinton & Khobar", Rich Lowry
Source 2 - Washington Times, "Miniter Responds", Richard Miniter
Berger stonewalled the Energy Department about Chinese spying in Los Alamos for three years.
It was Berger who for Hillary Clinton let bin Laden go
both from the Sudanese and was he was briefly vulnerable to missile attack.
[e.g. US News & World Report, Paul Bedard, 15 Mar 2003]
"Mr. Berger, calling Mr. Sandy Berger. THIS IS IMPORTANT. Please. This is urgent.
We can take out Osama, now. Please answer!!! We have him in our sight."
Berger-Burglar: "Nope. Forgetaboutit. No big deal. Bill and I are too busy watching the West Wing on TV."
"I was summoned to the office of National Security adviser Sandy Berger,
who chewed me out for not having a national security adviser (on the West Wing).
So I opened the next season with Anna Deavere Smith as the national security adviser" -
Aaron Sorkin
There is only one conclusion:
There is only 1 party in Washington, the pro-govt party.
Oh, I am cynical about it. I know some are saying that there is a deal worked out where Berger is going to sell out the Clintons. I'll believe when I see it, and, I won't hold my breath for it to happen...
Talk about an oxymoron...
Overreacting.......I hate when that happens (snicker).
Anybody got any background on this scumbag Noel Hillman? Clinton holdover, I presume?
Unbelievable.
I ain't buying it.
Berger is a liar. There was a reason those copies were in the archives. They probably had handwritten comments on them by senior members of the Administration.
Noel L. Hillman was:
Assistant U.S. Attorney - District of New Jersey (1992-2001)
Hillman is a Clintonoid - - crooked and corrupt to the core.
I think that explains the wrist slap for Berger.
What it doesn't explain is what's wrong with Dubya? Why would he hold over a corrput sleazeball like Hillman?
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