Topline
The National Archives sent a letter Thursday to former presidents and vice presidents asking them to review their personal records to ensure they don’t have any sensitive documents, according to multiple reports, following the highly publicized discovery of classified records at the homes of President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence.
The ribbon-cutting stage: Former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton attend the … [+]
Key Facts
The letter reportedly asks the presidents and vice presidents to conduct searches to ensure they didn’t “inadvertently” keep any sensitive records after they left the White House.
The Archives sent the message to representatives of all presidents and vice presidents since Ronald Reagan, including the record-keepers of those who have died, according to CNN.
Aides to former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton—along with representatives for the late President George H.W. Bush—told CNN they do not have any classified records.
It’s not immediately clear whether representatives for the former vice presidents—Dan Quayle, Al Gore or Dick Cheney—have discovered any sensitive documents.
Former President Jimmy Carter did not receive a letter, since the Presidential Records Act did not take effect until after he left office.
Crucial Quote
“The responsibility to comply with the PRA does not diminish after the end of an administration,” the letter reportedly said.
Key Background
Biden and Trump are both facing special counsel investigations for their handling of classified records, while the FBI and Justice Department are reportedly reviewing Pence’s situation. Lawyers for both Pence and Biden said they immediately alerted authorities after the documents were found and have claimed the records were kept by accident. Trump’s classified records, on the other hand, were recovered during an FBI raid in August after prosecutors said the ex-president spent months dodging a subpoena that legally required him to turn over the documents. Trump has repeatedly said the records are rightfully his, since he supposedly declassified them before he left the White House—a claim he hasn’t provided evidence to back up.
Further Reading
Mar-A-Lago Raid: FBI Investigating Whether Trump Violated These 3 Statutes (Forbes)
Classified Documents Found At Mike Pence’s Home (Forbes)
Who Is Robert Hur, The Special Counsel Investigating Biden’s Classified Documents? (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2023/01/26/national-archives-asks-former-presidents-and-vps-to-search-for-classified-records/