Posted on 10/08/2007 5:12:57 AM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
Sandy Berger, who stole highly classified terrorism documents from the National Archives, destroyed them and lied to investigators, is now an adviser to presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Berger, who was fired from John Kerry´s presidential campaign when the scandal broke in 2004, has assumed a similar role in Clinton´s campaign, even though his security clearance has been suspended until September 2008. This is raising eyebrows even among Clinton´s admirers.
“It shows poor judgment and a lack of regard for Berger´s serious misdeeds,” said law professor Jonathan Adler of Case Western Reserve University, who nonetheless called Clinton “by far the most impressive candidate in the Democratic field.”
Adler told The Examiner that it is “simply incomprehensible to me that a serious contender for the presidency would rely upon him as a key foreign policy advisor.”
He added: “If Senator Clinton becomes the Democratic nominee, at some point she will begin to receive national security briefings that will include sensitive information. At such a point, continuing to keep Berger on board as a key advisor, where he might have access to sensitive material, would be beyond incomprehensible.”
The Clinton campaign declined to comment.
Berger has admitted stealing documents from the National Archives in advance of the 9/11 Commission hearings in 2003. The documents, written by White House counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke, were a “tough review” of the Clinton administration´s shortcomings in dealing with terrorism, Clarke´s lawyer told the Washington Post.
On several occasions, Berger stuffed highly classified documents into his pants and socks before spiriting them out of the Archives building in Washington, according to investigators. On one occasion, upon reaching the street, he hid documents under a construction trailer after checking the windows of the Archives and Justice Department buildings to make sure he was not being watched.
Berger came back later and retrieved the documents, taking them home and cutting them up with scissors. Two days later, he was informed by Archive employees that his removal of documents had been detected.
“Berger panicked because he realized he was caught,” said a report by the National Archives inspector general, which also recounted his initial reaction. “Berger lied.”
Berger also lied to the public, telling reporters he made an “honest mistake” by “inadvertently” taking the documents, which he blamed on his own “sloppiness.” Bill Clinton vouched for the explanation for Berger, who served as his national security adviser.
Berger later conceded: “I was giving a benign explanation for what was not benign.”
The Justice Department initially said Berger stole only copies of classified documents and not originals. But the House Government Reform Committee later revealed that an unsupervised Berger had been given access to classified files of original, uncopied, uninventoried documents on terrorism. Several Archives officials acknowledged that Berger could have stolen any number of items and they “would never know what, if any, original documents were missing.”
At his sentencing in September 2005, Berger was fined $50,000, placed on probation for two years and stripped of his security clearance for three years.
Hsus And Socks (Hillary has asked Sandy Berger to join her campaign)
A pretty spot-on analysis from the author, IMO.
Hey, leave her alone! She knows what she’s doing! (Writing GOP campaign ads)
Depending on what's in them, all he needs to do, is *say* that he did. "There's a copy in....well, never mind where. Wonder if Rush Limbaugh would be interested in it? Would be a shame if I didn't get that plum position on your campaign...."
“The old Potomic two-step, Jack.”
***who nonetheless called Clinton “by far the most impressive candidate in the Democratic field.”***
What would make him say that?
No, she won't. For two reasons. First, as we all know, the MSM is biased towards Democrats/liberals/leftists whatever you want to call them. Second, the MSM already is betting that she will win the nomination and presidency and therefore, knowing full well how she repays unkind words said about her or the campaign, will only pitch softball questions so they can gain access to her in the future. Look at the recent Atlantic magazine dustup where they killed a story on campaign infighting so that they could get a cover story on Bill for a forthcoming issue. No, Hillary will get no hard questions except from the likes of Rush, Sean, etc. which is why they are being targeted at this early stage. It's only going to get worse.
“Duncan Hunter 08.”
Unfortunately even Paul is polling 5x higher than Hunter.
It’s because his campaign is terribly run.
I donated money to him, and heard from his campaign once for example.
Do they or have they installed surveillance cameras inside the National Archives? If not, it might be a good idea.
This may be a brilliant political move.
Having Sandy Burger on board will raise Hillary’s image by comparison and based on past experience the right wing attacks against her will increase her standing with the middle.
The only way to beat Hillary is to get the republican base out to vote...otherwise, she wins in a landslide.
But, with his top-secret clearance, he had access to all sorts of stuff, anyway.
I'd love to know what was destroyed. My guess is that the speculation is a lot more interesting than the actual substance. Probably was documentation just Clinton ditching some appointment to get a "Lewinsky" or some such nonsense. Given the Clinton camp's infatuation with style over substance, paperwork detailing something that made him look a "little" bad, would be much, much worse than something really important, such as selling nuclear secrets to the Chinese.
In three weeks, this will be forgotten and made only in passing mention on the radio talk circuit by that time.
Both parties know the real deal; American voters are no longer paying attention.
PROOF!!
The Clinton’s LOVE convicts, they make easily controlled, manipulated and LOYAL pets.
Sandy Burgler is ICONIC and PERFECTLY represents what Hillary Clinton is ALL about! CRIME.
When the Norman Hsu fundraising scandal broke, the other Democrat Presidential candidates, B. Hussein Obama, Elizabeth Edwards, and Bill Richardson said absolutely nothing. Nevermind this could not be a isolated incident, but instead is just the latest in a long line of Clinton fundraising scandals, Hussein, Elizabeth, and Bill were silent.
That silence has emboldened Hillary! She can get away with anything. Does anyone think the only candidate with foreign policy cred, Bill Richardson, will say one word about Hillary! hiring Sandy Burglar? I doubt it.
Neither will Hussein or Elizabeth.
I am increasingly convinced Hussein, Elizabeth, and Bill are utterly incompetent politicians, or have been paid off by the Clintons to take a fall for Hillary!
Is anyone else questioning the timing...this bombshell is dropped in the midst of the “shut up Rush and Bill” campaign. Of course, both of them will be discussing this outrage at lengths on their shows. Just wondering if it’s a trap...
If the Pubbies can’t make hay with Berger’s appointment, they deserve to lose.
The magazine was originally started in 1957, but today the motto is “Look Sharp/Live Smart”. I guess they don’t care so much now about the “gentleman” part, this new motto being more in keeping with modern times, I suppose.
It’s ok if you're a manipulating, lying, perjuring, slimeball adulterer, as long as you look good and have $millions$. Now that’s success./s
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