Posted on 12/20/2006 2:12:49 PM PST by Mr. Mojo
Former national security adviser Sandy Berger removed classified documents from the National Archives in 2003 and hid them under a construction trailer, the Archives inspector general reported Wednesday. The report was issued more than a year after Berger pleaded guilty and received a criminal sentence for removal of the documents.
Inspector General Paul Brachfeld reported that when Berger was confronted by Archives officials about the missing documents, he said it was possible he threw them in his office trash.
The report said that when Archives employees first suspected that Berger _ who had been President Clinton's national security adviser _ was removing classified documents from the Archives in the fall of they failed to notify any law enforcement agency.
Berger, who pleaded guilty to unlawfully removing and retaining classified documents, was fined $50,000, ordered to perform 100 hours of community service and was barred from access to classified material for three years.
The report said that when Berger was reviewing the classified documents in the Archives building a few blocks from the Capitol, employees saw him bending down and fiddling with something white, which could have been paper, around his ankle.
However, Archives employees did not feel at the time there was enough information to confront someone of Berger's stature, the report said.
Brachfeld reported that on one visit, Berger took a break to go outside without an escort.
"In total, during this visit, he removed four documents ... .
"Mr. Berger said he placed the documents under a trailer in an accessible construction area outside Archives 1 (the main Archives building)."
Berger acknowledged that he later retrieved the documents from the construction area and returned with them to his office.
Berger, with the authorization of former President Clinton, was reviewing National Security Council documents on Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida, Sudan, and related presidential correspondence. The review was to facilitate Berger's impending testimony before the House and Senate intelligence committees.
Double Jeapordy is what applies. One thing is that he will never be a National Security Advisor again. No Dem. President would invite the kind of criticism that would come, in spite of his "taking one for the team" by covering for Clinton. Berger still remains a well connected trade lawyer standing to get richer.
Can they charge whin with a slightly different charge? Say treason for starters?????? Dirty rotten Bat-turd. I am so fed up with the traitorous behavior of some of these 'officials'
Wow! Very incriminating post. If I didn't know better, I would think you were part of the investigation team. You might hold almost as much contempt toward the Clinton Administration as me...Nah, that would be impossible! ;-)
Wheres the attorney discipline authorities? This guy needs to lose his "LIEYAR'S" ticket
No, I know the story but this trailer business has me thinking..again..that he should have been put up against the wall. Unbelievable how soft weve become.
Whenever I see a thread about this sick scumbag Berger and the slap on the wrist he got, it makes me vomit a little.
Hangmans noose?
This country is a mess and the media is leading the way. If the media doesn't call it a crime it skates... and the media calls nothing a Dimwit does a crime..... so no story nor front page news. No wonder America is seeing Libs as saviors....
Hail Hail the lamestream media........
Shame about that nation of laws not me thing... always fails to impress.
35 minutes into Special Report (including the "Grapevine" segment) and no mention of The Burglar.....
Seems to me that the boss of the NA at the time was either appointed by Toon, or later went on to work for Toon, maybe at the Clinton Liebrary and Massage Parlor. If I'm remembering correctly that would explain a lot.
Which is EXACTLY what will happen AGAIN if Hillary ever gets elected!!! The Clintons NEVER have to pay for ANYTHING they do, EVER!
Just think of the MANY, MANY scandals where the Clintons WALKED away with NO PUNISHMENT whatsoever.
I'm so SICK of their arrogance and condescension.
Sandy Berger should be in prison. And George Bush and his administration have to answer for why he is not! Since he is not, however, I guess it's OK for others to steal documents from the National Archives at will. After all a fine and a slap on the wrist seems a small penalty for altering, distorting and forging history.
Could be---LOL.
You have no idea how deep my hatred toward the Clinton Administration goes. It was personal and financial, to say the very least.
yea... I have NEVER understood why this story didn't raise more of a public outcry than it has. I mean, this is simply inconceivable to me... Is NO ONE interested in why Clinton had Bergler go back in and STEAL documents? My Lord.....
If I live to be 200 years, I will never, ever understand how it is that Berger avoided jail.
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