National Archives Call On Former Presidents, Vice Presidents To Check for Classified Documents in Possession

The National Archives officially asked former presidents and vice presidents to check for any classified documents they might have after a series of classified materials were discovered in U.S. President Joe Biden's home and office.

Former Vice President Mike Pence also recently joined the list of high-ranking government officials found to be in possession of classified documents after his team announced that briefings for his foreign trips were found in his Indiana home.

The National Archives sent a letter to former and current administrations, including from former President Ronald Reagan's White House. The letter requested to check for their files to ensure that materials do not mix with their personal records.

Presidential records should be turned over to the Archives, as mandated by the Presidential Records Act.

The letter noted that the "responsibility to comply" with the law does not stop after the end of an administration. It added that all presidential records from Reagan onward should be turned over to the Archives "regardless of classification status."

Former presidents that received the letter include Donald Trump, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Reagan.

Meanwhile, former vice presidents who received the same letter are Pence, Biden, Dick Cheney, Al Gore, and Dan Quayle.

Former Presidents and Vice Presidents

Former president Jimmy Carter was not included in the letter as the Presidential Records Act covers records created or received after January 20, 1981, which was after Carter left office.

One adviser to Obama's office spoke on the condition of anonymity, saying that all classified records from Obama's White House had been handed to the Archives upon leaving office.

The adviser added that the agency continues to hold physical and legal custody of Obama's materials.

Bush, H.W. Bush, and Clinton administrations' representatives have already said that all their records have been turned over to NARA.

Carter reportedly found classified documents at his home and returned them to the Archives, but it was unclear when the materials were found.

Classified Documents Saga

Pence found a "small number of documents" with the classified markings at his Indiana residence.

Neither the vice president nor his counsel reviewed the contents of the documents, which were moved to a locked safe, according to the letter.

Pence's attorney, Greg Jacob, wrote in a letter that Federal Bureau of Investigation agents got the papers from the safe on January 19.

Biden also found classified materials at his University of Pennsylvania office and Delaware home on separate occasions.

The Justice Department appointed a special counsel to look at the materials.

The president and his team noted that they did "what they should have done" and were fully cooperative in the investigation.

Biden has been straightforward about the location of the documents. However, the delay in telling the public of the discovery created criticisms.

Meanwhile, Trump housed dozens of boxes and about 11,000 documents, with around 100 of those bearing classified markings.

However, the former president denied any wrongdoing and claimed to have declassified the documents taken from him.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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