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.
Bush has not gone after the Clintons or Dems in any genuinely serious manner, thus emboldening them and causing them to attack Bush/Repubs with yet more viciousness.
Idiot Bush
The Justice Department in collusion with the CIA was undeniably far too busy trying imprison Karl Rove or any of the President's men they could ensnare, but don't let that stop the BDS train from blowing steam.
CHITTY CHITTY BANG! BANG!
I clearly see a Mentally and Spiritually ill Nation, that has not the judgment nor ability to elect anyone.
you are 100% correct. Berger should be all over the front news with the GOP screaming and letting the country know that this is what the Clinton gang is all about. They better grow a few pairs if they want to win.
“I’m still in shock- how CAN she be so stupid?”
It’s not stupid. He can bring her lots of money, and she can do him lots of favors after she gets elected. What’s stupid is that we put up with these corrupt crooks. Berger is a common thief. No one who did what he did should get a security clearance, or be put in a position of public trust again.
“The DoJ has to enforce the polygraph order and to this point they’ve been “reluctant” to do so.”
So the DOJ should be dragged in front of the judge so that he can ask them what the Hell they are doing. That’s what usually happens.
BTTT
I guess the Clintons are sticking with the “Socks” motif.
I’m torn between:
‘Liberals have no shame’
or
‘Felons of a Feather’
Berger isn’t a Felon. He pled guilty to misdemeanors. Should have been tried and convicted beats the hell out of me why Bush wanted it to be lenient.
“Kellyanne Conway just suggested (on Fox) that Sandy Burglar is blackmailing the Clintons!”
Sure path to Arkancide.
This is scary ridiculous. Sandy Burglar. Maybe she or Bubba’s why he isn’t in jail to begin with.
Maybe SB’s goin’ in for the rest of the silverware that didn’t fit in Hil’s pockets.
The entire Democratic Party is becoming a disgrace, so Sandy should fit right in.
No pride, no moral compass - he’ll fit right in.
No way to determine everything that was stolen and no way to figure out if any “revised documents” were planted in the place of stolen documents.
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