Free Republic

The deal's terms make clear that Berger spoke falsely last summer in public claims that in 2003 he twice inadvertently walked off with copies of a classified document during visits to the National Archives, then later lost them. He described the episode last summer as "an honest mistake...." The terms of Berger's agreement required him to acknowledge to the Justice Department the circumstances of the episode. Rather than misplacing or unintentionally throwing away three of the five copies he took from the archives, as the former national security adviser earlier maintained, he shredded them with a pair of scissors late...

WASHINGTON -- Sandy Berger, who was President Bill Clinton's top national security aide, pleaded guilty Friday to taking classified documents from the National Archives and cutting them up with scissors. Rather than the ''honest mistake'' he described last summer, Berger acknowledged to U.S. Magistrate Deborah Robinson that he intentionally took and destroyed three copies of the same document dealing with terror threats during the 2000 millennium celebration. ''Guilty, your honor,'' Berger responded when asked how he pleaded. The charge carries a maximum sentence of a year in prison and up to a $100,000 fine. However, under his plea agreement, Berger...