Several classified documents from the time when Joe Biden was vice president of the United States were found in a private office on November 2, writes CNN.
According to Biden’s lawyers, the documents were found in an office belonging to the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement.
The office was to be closed down, and files were therefore reviewed and cleared away.
Biden used the office in the time after he was vice president. According to the Washington Post, Biden used the office for periods from mid-2017 until he launched his presidential campaign in 2020.
Should have been returned
According to CNN, there should be fewer than 12 documents. It is not yet known what the classified documents contain or why they were found in the office at the Penn Biden Center.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has called for an investigation into the case.
NOT LAW: Graded documents must be returned after one has finished serving in a position, such as Joe Biden’s vice presidency. Photo: Susan Walsh/AP
As Biden is no longer vice president, the documents should have been returned after the service had ended.
“The White House is cooperating with the National Archives and the Department of Justice regarding the discovery of what appear to be documents that may be linked to the Obama-Biden administration,” Richard Sauber, special adviser to the president, said in a statement.
It was CBS News who first reported the findings.
Similarities to Trump
Washington Post writes on Tuesday night that the findings have several similarities with the Mar-a-Lago case of former President Donald Trump.
The information that has come to light so far in the case nevertheless indicates clear differences.
SIMILARITIES: The Washington Post points to several similarities between the two document cases. Nevertheless, there are significant differences. Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP
In the case involving Biden, the documents were primarily found by the president’s personal lawyers.
The documents were also handed over to the National Archives the day after they were found.
In Trump’s case, hundreds of documents were seized by the FBI when they searched his home in November 2022, despite strong opposition from himself.
DOCUMENTS FOUND: Here, the FBI seized over 100 classified documents in August 2022. The house is located in Mar-a-Lago, and is owned by former President Donald Trump. Photo: Steve Helber / AP
He denies that he has done anything illegal and says he is the victim of a witch hunt. The ex-president has previously claimed that the documents that were seized were declassified.
