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.
The globalist puppet masters have a big club
wellll, both kinds.
If he is dead, he won't need a security clearance.
Nope.
I agree. Beyond puzzling.
What world do these people live in ?
Do they really expect us to believe this BS?
Nope.. They're both anti-gun..
One party is "realist" and the other is "idealistic"..
...unless they are democrats with political connections! No, we have to show compassion, we have to show restraint, we don't want the Democrats to get maaaaaaaaaad! Goodness, they might say mean things about us, they might fillibuster the President's judicial nominees, they might say bad things about the war in Iraq!....
.......gee, what went wrong? We've been giving them a pass on EVERYTHING since 2001 and they still won't be our friends.
Can't we just AAALLLL get ALOOOOONG?
hmm...now why would we think anything would happen to him?/s
embarrassing handwritten notes from several Clinton era operatives?
I am very frustrated at reading the small inside page news articles that all seem to say he took "copies." I don't think he compromised our national security, rather some Clintonistas reputations. Throughout the 8 years, it seemed that the possible penalty for destroying evidence was deemed to be less that the political penalty if the information came out. Another one falls on his sword for the Clintons.
ping
You are right to suppose Berger's theft is but a dream. Dear Sandy is living in a fairy tale where there are no consequences for wrong doings. Trouble is, all of us are living in that fairy tale called reality, where people in high places get away with what the common man can't, and it's getting on our last nerves.
That is a scream and I agree.
Very true.
Uh huh.
I hope everyone here remembers this (and other) stories, for the next time the picture-licking Bush suckups try to bamboozle everyone into thinking we have some sort of deity as Head Politician.
Nope. Not even that. Screw 'em all.
Anyone know what G. Gordan Liddy has to say on this matter?
If Burgler was a republican he would be toast.
"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."
Noel Hillman, of the Justice Department was later heard to say, "Rain is not wet, snow is not white, and the Rockies are not mountains."
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