AP: Clinton Adviser Probed in Terror Memos [Sandy Berger is the focus of a criminal investigation]

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[Sub-Driver]

AP: Clinton Adviser Probed in Terror Memos

3 minutes ago Add U.S. National - AP to My Yahoo!

By JOHN SOLOMON

WASHINGTON - President Clinton (news - web sites)'s national security adviser, Sandy Berger, is the focus of a criminal investigation after admitting he removed highly classified terrorism documents from a secure reading room during preparations for the Sept. 11 commission hearings, The Associated Press has learned.

Berger's home and office were searched earlier this year by FBI (news - web sites) agents armed with warrants. Some drafts of a sensitive after-action report on the Clinton administration's handling of al-Qaida terror threats during the December 1999 millennium celebration are still missing.

Berger and his lawyer said Monday night he knowingly removed handwritten notes he had taken from classified anti-terror documents he reviewed at the National Archives by sticking them in his jacket and pants. He also inadvertently took copies of actual classified documents in a leather portfolio, they said.

"I deeply regret the sloppiness involved, but I had no intention of withholding documents from the commission, and to the contrary, to my knowledge, every document requested by the commission from the Clinton administration was produced," Berger said in a statement to the AP.

Berger served as Clinton's national security adviser for all of the president's second term and most recently has been informally advising Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites). Clinton asked Berger last year to review and select the administration documents that would be turned over to the commission.

The FBI searched Berger's home and office with warrants earlier this year after employees of the National Archives told agents they believed they witnessed Berger put documents into his clothing while reviewing sensitive Clinton administration papers, officials said.

When asked, Berger said he returned some of the classified documents, which he found in his office, and all of the handwritten notes he had taken from the secure room, but said he could not locate two or three copies of the highly classified millennium terror report.

[kristinn]

Cheryl Mills betrayed this country.

[afraid]

This is it. This could be one hell of an scandal.

[Howlin]

It sure as hell would say "Bush Advisor probed" if the shoe was on the other foot.

[tobyhill]

Berger has been "informally" advising Kerry. #731

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Which means that whoever was supposed to be watching him was a Clinton friendly.

Now, that's a possibility.

[Just mythoughts]

"...The Clinton associate, who spoke on condition of anonymity with the Times, said the former president had taken a break from the manuscript of his memoir, due out this summer, to prepare for the session with the help of his former national security advisor, Samuel R Berger, who testified earlier, and with his longtime legal adviser, Bruce Lindsey..."


Could it be that Gorelick and Richard Ben-Veniste had a heads up long ago and that is why they went public in an attempt to make the public believe that President Bush did nothing to prevent 911?

They did go after Condi Rice with full force.

[Timeout]

USA TODAY has moved it to their top headline:

CLINTON ADVISOR INVESTIGATED

Berger took classified terror documents

They're not pulling any punches with the headlines.

[pitinkie]

It was shower time!!!

[snooker]

"If I understand it correctly, while you are in the room, you can take notes for yourself; but once you leave the room, your notes stay there."

If it truly was a secure room, you are right. Nothing leaves, no notes, no docs, no copies.

Hence put them in your pants, they search briefcases.

[Mo1]

Kerry served on the Intel committee and both Wilson and Berger are on his payroll as advisor's

Don't forget Randy Beers and Dick Clark

[Howlin]

The record is replete with Clinton cronies "rolling over one more time" and doing his bidding for no apparent reason

I guess we can safely bet that old Sandy is OFF the Clintons' Christmas card list.

[Howlin]

Well it's a big thing if the Iraq <---> al Qauda connection turns up in Berger's pants.

I love that!!!

[Colonel_Flagg]

Otherwise, the next thing ya know is we'll all be hearing how he accidentally shot himself in the back of his head.

Three times.

[mewzilla]

This could make Watergate look like a Jay Walking case...

What did Toon know and when did he know it?

[hobson]

Good point. What WAS I thinking. :(

[Reactionary]

Look at this!

"A sensitive after action report on the foiled Millennium bomb plot, portions of which were allegedly pilfered by former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger, sounded the alarm that al Qaida operatives had entered the U.S. and were preparing to strike."

Berger stole top secret documents that detailed that Al Qaeda was in the country! It's on Newsmax!

[cyncooper]

Protecting himself from what? It may have been easier to control the fallout from his previous action rather than this.

With all due respect, you must not have paid attention during the Clinton administration. Look at some of the historical articles on this very thread. They did much worse than squirrel some documents out of a room. This was nothing *in comparison* to what they did. But I hope and pray he is held to account this time (and that it maybe leads to more info on those activities from the administration).

[Petronski]

They're not pulling any punches with the headlines.

Well, in a way they are. Pantload is a Kerry advisor.

[mystery-ak]

Look what happens while I painting......I hate to say it, but Im loving this...it couldn't happen to nicer guy..LOL

[alwaysconservative]

A minor quibble, but wouldn't it be more proper to refer to Berger by his current association, not a past one? In other words, shouldn't AP's story title read, "Kerry Advisor Probed..."?

Excellent point! And by "probed", I guess I had a different idea in mind, lol!