SOGvet
07-20-2004, 12:18
Scary shit here, gents... If it'd been me, my nuts would be hanging from the flagpole in about 2 nanoseconds. Watch and see the spin the Dems put on this puppy.
~~~~~~~~~~
Hastert Statement on Berger Allegations
7/20/2004 12:54:00 PM
To: National Desk
WASHINGTON, July 20 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Today, House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) released the following statement regarding allegations that former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger removed highly classified terrorism documents and handwritten notes from a secure reading room during preparations for the 9/11 Commission hearings:
"I am profoundly troubled by allegations that former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger removed highly classified documents from the National Archives regarding the Clinton Administration's handling of terrorist attacks prior to the September 11th attacks.
"What could those documents have said that drove Mr. Berger to remove them without authorization from a secure reading room for classified documents?
"What information could be so embarrassing that a man with decades of experience in handling classified documents would risk being caught pilfering our nation's most sensitive secrets?
"Did these documents detail simple negligence or did they contain something more sinister? Was this a bungled attempt to rewrite history and keep critical information from the 9/11 Commission and potentially put their report under a cloud?
"It is my understanding that Mr. Berger shoved this classified information into his clothing to smuggle them out of the National Archives. Press reports indicate that Archival staff became concerned when documents began to disappear and specifically marked additional documents to track them. A number of those documents also turned up missing.
"Mr. Berger has a lot of explaining to do. He was given access to these documents to assist the 9/11 Commission, not hide information from them. The American people and the 9/11 families don't want cover-ups when it comes to the War on Terror. They want the truth. And so does the U.S. House of Representatives."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Clinton adviser probed about removing classified terror memos
By Kevin Johnson and Susan Page, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON - Samuel Berger, President Clinton's national security adviser, is the focus of a criminal investigation into whether he improperly removed notes and classified documents from the National Archives during preparations for hearings by the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks.
Berger said he inadvertently took some documents from the archives but was not trying to withhold information from the commission. His lawyers said he was cooperating with authorities. Three government officials who have been briefed on the investigation said Berger had removed handwritten notes and classified documents from a private room at the National Archives where he was preparing for his March 24 testimony. The officials declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the investigation.
Two of the officials said Berger was reportedly seen stuffing some of the material into his clothing.
The FBI has conducted searches of Berger's home and office. But some of the documents he reviewed are still missing, the officials said. Some of those documents involved the Clinton administration's handling of intelligence surrounding terrorist plots to disrupt millennium celebrations in 1999 and identification of America's vulnerabilities at airports and seaports.
"I deeply regret the sloppiness involved but 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 Monday night. Berger said he returned some classified documents that he found in his office and all of the handwritten notes he had taken from the secure room. But, he said, he could not locate two or three copies of the millennium terror report.
"When I was informed by the archives that there were documents missing, I immediately returned everything I had except for a few documents that I apparently had accidentally discarded," he said. The archives is believed to have copies of some of the missing documents.
The government officials said the investigation was set in motion by National Archives employees who reportedly witnessed Berger's actions in the room.
David Gergen, who was an adviser to Clinton and worked with Berger for a time in the White House, said Tuesday, "I think it's more innocent than it looks."
Appearing on NBC's Today show, Gergen said, "I have known Sandy Berger for a long time. He would never do anything to compromise the security of the United States." Gergen said he thought that "it is suspicious" that word of the investigation of Berger would emerge just as the Sept. 11 commission is about to release its report, since "this investigation started months ago."
The revelation about Berger, first reported by the Associated Press, comes days before the commission releases its final report, which has become a political issue as both parties try to use its presumed findings to their advantage. Commission member Jamie Gorelick said the panel was informed about the investigation Monday.
Al Felzenberg, spokesman for the Sept. 11 commission, said Tuesday the Berger investigation will not impact the panel's work in any way. The 10-member bipartisan panel releases its final report on Thursday.
"This is a matter between the government and an individual," he said. "They were not our documents, and we believe we have access to all the materials we need to see to do our report."
Government and congressional officials familiar with the investigation, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because the probe involves classified materials, said no decision has been made on whether Berger should face criminal charges.
One of Berger's lawyers, Lanny Breuer, said Berger believed he was looking at copies of the classified documents, not originals.
The Archives, which is the nation's repository for presidential papers, is believed to have copies of some of the missing documents.
Berger was allowed to take handwritten notes. He knew that taking his own notes out of the secure reading room violated archives procedures. But, Breuer said, "I do not believe he acted illegally at all. He acted lawfully but admittedly sloppily."
Berger served as Clinton's national security adviser from 1997-2001 and has been advising Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.
Contributing: Mimi Hall and the Associated Press
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yet it's back-page news at the NYT, and you really have to want to find the story to locate it in the Washington Post and the L.A. Times. Go figure...
http://www.nytimes.com/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
http://www.latimes.com/
~~~~~~~~~~
Hastert Statement on Berger Allegations
7/20/2004 12:54:00 PM
To: National Desk
WASHINGTON, July 20 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Today, House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) released the following statement regarding allegations that former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger removed highly classified terrorism documents and handwritten notes from a secure reading room during preparations for the 9/11 Commission hearings:
"I am profoundly troubled by allegations that former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger removed highly classified documents from the National Archives regarding the Clinton Administration's handling of terrorist attacks prior to the September 11th attacks.
"What could those documents have said that drove Mr. Berger to remove them without authorization from a secure reading room for classified documents?
"What information could be so embarrassing that a man with decades of experience in handling classified documents would risk being caught pilfering our nation's most sensitive secrets?
"Did these documents detail simple negligence or did they contain something more sinister? Was this a bungled attempt to rewrite history and keep critical information from the 9/11 Commission and potentially put their report under a cloud?
"It is my understanding that Mr. Berger shoved this classified information into his clothing to smuggle them out of the National Archives. Press reports indicate that Archival staff became concerned when documents began to disappear and specifically marked additional documents to track them. A number of those documents also turned up missing.
"Mr. Berger has a lot of explaining to do. He was given access to these documents to assist the 9/11 Commission, not hide information from them. The American people and the 9/11 families don't want cover-ups when it comes to the War on Terror. They want the truth. And so does the U.S. House of Representatives."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Clinton adviser probed about removing classified terror memos
By Kevin Johnson and Susan Page, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON - Samuel Berger, President Clinton's national security adviser, is the focus of a criminal investigation into whether he improperly removed notes and classified documents from the National Archives during preparations for hearings by the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks.
Berger said he inadvertently took some documents from the archives but was not trying to withhold information from the commission. His lawyers said he was cooperating with authorities. Three government officials who have been briefed on the investigation said Berger had removed handwritten notes and classified documents from a private room at the National Archives where he was preparing for his March 24 testimony. The officials declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the investigation.
Two of the officials said Berger was reportedly seen stuffing some of the material into his clothing.
The FBI has conducted searches of Berger's home and office. But some of the documents he reviewed are still missing, the officials said. Some of those documents involved the Clinton administration's handling of intelligence surrounding terrorist plots to disrupt millennium celebrations in 1999 and identification of America's vulnerabilities at airports and seaports.
"I deeply regret the sloppiness involved but 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 Monday night. Berger said he returned some classified documents that he found in his office and all of the handwritten notes he had taken from the secure room. But, he said, he could not locate two or three copies of the millennium terror report.
"When I was informed by the archives that there were documents missing, I immediately returned everything I had except for a few documents that I apparently had accidentally discarded," he said. The archives is believed to have copies of some of the missing documents.
The government officials said the investigation was set in motion by National Archives employees who reportedly witnessed Berger's actions in the room.
David Gergen, who was an adviser to Clinton and worked with Berger for a time in the White House, said Tuesday, "I think it's more innocent than it looks."
Appearing on NBC's Today show, Gergen said, "I have known Sandy Berger for a long time. He would never do anything to compromise the security of the United States." Gergen said he thought that "it is suspicious" that word of the investigation of Berger would emerge just as the Sept. 11 commission is about to release its report, since "this investigation started months ago."
The revelation about Berger, first reported by the Associated Press, comes days before the commission releases its final report, which has become a political issue as both parties try to use its presumed findings to their advantage. Commission member Jamie Gorelick said the panel was informed about the investigation Monday.
Al Felzenberg, spokesman for the Sept. 11 commission, said Tuesday the Berger investigation will not impact the panel's work in any way. The 10-member bipartisan panel releases its final report on Thursday.
"This is a matter between the government and an individual," he said. "They were not our documents, and we believe we have access to all the materials we need to see to do our report."
Government and congressional officials familiar with the investigation, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because the probe involves classified materials, said no decision has been made on whether Berger should face criminal charges.
One of Berger's lawyers, Lanny Breuer, said Berger believed he was looking at copies of the classified documents, not originals.
The Archives, which is the nation's repository for presidential papers, is believed to have copies of some of the missing documents.
Berger was allowed to take handwritten notes. He knew that taking his own notes out of the secure reading room violated archives procedures. But, Breuer said, "I do not believe he acted illegally at all. He acted lawfully but admittedly sloppily."
Berger served as Clinton's national security adviser from 1997-2001 and has been advising Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.
Contributing: Mimi Hall and the Associated Press
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yet it's back-page news at the NYT, and you really have to want to find the story to locate it in the Washington Post and the L.A. Times. Go figure...
http://www.nytimes.com/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
http://www.latimes.com/