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A second batch of classified documents was discovered in President Joe Biden’s ‘personal library’ at his home in Wilmington, Delaware and other documents in his garage, the White House counsel revealed on Thursday – the latest bombshell comes just days after reports that sensitive documents were also found in his former office in Washington, D.C.
Richard Sauber, Special Counsel to the President, said the files were immediately handed over to the National Archives and the Department of Justice was notified.
Biden told reporters at the White House that he was “cooperating fully and completely” with a Justice Department investigation as to how and why classified information and government records were improperly stored.
Peter Doocy of Fox News asked Biden how he could keep ‘classified materials [in his garage] next to your Corvette. What were you thinking?’ – a reference to his classic 1967 Stingray which his son, Hunter, had rebuilt for him as a Christmas present.
‘By the way, my Corvette’s in locked garage, okay? It’s not like it’s sitting out in the street,’ Biden shot back. He confirmed the documents were kept in a locked garage, saying, ‘Yes – as well as my Corvette.’
A second batch of classified documents were found in a garage ‘storage space’ in President Biden’s Wilmington home, the President’s counsel revealed on Thursday
Joe Biden tweets a video of himself with his classic 1967 Corvette Stingray – which was in the same garage as documents
‘People know I take classified documents,’ classified materials seriously,’ Biden said, beginning to read a prepared statement.
The tense back and forth comes after Biden dodged questions during a trip to Mexico about whether he mishandled documents.
He said lawyers ‘discovered a small number of documents with classified markings in storage areas and file cabinets in my home and my – my personal library.’
‘The Department of Justice was immediately notified, he said. ‘We’re going to see all this unfold, I’m confident …’ he said. Biden’s voice trailed off, leading to a chorus of shouted questions. ‘Thank you very much,’ he concluded.
Then, amid the cacophony of questions, he pointed to the back of the auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building where he was speaking. ‘Hey how you doing? Good to see you!’ he yelled, then walked off stage.
The disclosure comes as the White House face multiple questions on why the discoveries have not been revealed until now and who was handling them.
The first set of files, found a week before the November midterms, was located in a locked closet at the Penn Biden Center in Washington D.C.
Biden got asked how he could have classified materials ‘next to your Corvette.’ He shot back: ‘By the way, my Corvette’s in locked garage, okay?’
He said lawyers ‘discovered a small number of documents with classified markings in storage areas and file cabinets in my home and my – my personal library.’ He also referenced the discovery of materials at the Penn Biden Center in Washington
The discovery of classified materials at the Penn Biden Center has caused a political uproar, and comes amid a DOJ investigation of
They are believed to have contained information on Iran, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and personal family information including documents about late son Bean’s funeral.
‘As we stated previously, we are fully cooperating with the National Archives and the Department of Justice in a process to ensure that any Obama-Biden Administration records are appropriately in possession of the Archives, Sauber said in the Thursday statement.
‘Following the discovery of government documents at the Penn Biden Center in November 2022, and coordinating closely with the Department of Justice, the President’s lawyers have searched the President’s Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, residences – the other locations where files from his Vice-Presidential office might have been shipped in the course of the 2017 transition.
‘The lawyers completed that review last night.
‘During the review, the lawyers discovered among personal and political papers a small number of additional Obama-Biden Administration records with classified markings.
‘All but one of these documents were found in storage space in the President’s Wilmington residence garage.
‘One document consisting of one page was discovered among stored materials in an adjacent room. No documents were found in the Rehoboth Beach residence.
‘As was done in the case of the Penn-Biden Center, the Department of Justice was immediately notified, and the lawyers arranged for the Department of Justice to take possession of these documents.
‘The White House will continue to cooperate with the review by the Department of Justice.’
The White House released the statement shortly before Biden was to deliver comments to the media about new inflation figures.
That followed a contentious White House briefing on Wednesday, where reporters pressed White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on why the discovery of the classified materials days before the November elections had not been revealed sooner.
Republicans are already demanding a special counsel review the matter at the Justice Department to determine the next course of action. On Thursday, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) wrote top intelligence officials asking if they were conducting a national security review to determine if there was a risk to national security.
A special counsel is already reviewing former President Donald Trump’s possession of highly classified materials at his Mar-a-Lago residence. FBI agents searched the residence this summer under a grand jury subpoena after a months-long process seeking to obtain government material.
The discovery of classified materials at Biden’s Penn office had already prompted demands by Republicans to investigate the matter – and that was before the latest discovery.
The counsel’s office notably did not mention the exact number of documents that were discovered.
Biden has blasted Trump’s handling of materials in the past, and has stated that he takes care when bringing classified documents home as president that he gets briefed in a secured room and returns classified materials to a military aide.
He told CBS ’60 Minutes’ after the Mar-a-Lago raid: ‘How that could possibly happen? How one – anyone could be that irresponsible?’
Biden’s Corvette, a wedding gift from his father more than 50 years ago, has been valued at $78,000.
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