Biden news: President makes first response to classified papers trove as GOP accused Dems of hypocrisy

Discovery of documents cast a shadow over Biden’s visit to Mexico City for three-day summit with counterparts Trudeau and López Obrador

Biden visits U.S.-Mexico border amidst migrant crisis

President Joe Biden’s visit to Mexico was shrouded by news that classified documents from his time as vice president were discovered at a think tank in Washington DC.

After initially dodging questions on the classified papers, the president addressed the issue on Tuesday, saying that he was “surprised” by the find.

“I was surprised to learn there were any government records that were taken there to that office,” he said, adding that he doesn’t know what the documents contain.

Mr Biden’s attorneys confirmed on Monday that they had found the government materials in a private office at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement in November.

The documents were immediately handed over to the National Archives and the Justice Department launched an investigation.

At least some of the materials are said to include intelligence memos regarding Iran, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and other topics, reported CNN.

The revelation about the documents comes amid a a three-day trip to Mexico where Mr Biden has held meetings with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Mr Biden praised Mr Trudeau for his support and cooperation with the US on international affairs.

“I want to thank you again. You’ve always been there whenever I call, you pick up the phone,” he said.

Key points

• Classified Obama-Biden papers found at think tank, prompting DOJ probe
• Abbott says Biden ‘noncommittal’ on border policy changes
• Biden to meet López Obrador and Justin Trudeau in Mexico today
• Biden takes first presidential trip to US-Mexico border
• Biden and Lula speak after Jan 6-style insurrection rocks Brazil

[10 January 2023 20:30 · John Bowden]

Republicans who stayed silent on Trump taking classified documents from White House now slam Biden

A number of Republican politicians who tried to dismiss the discovery of classified materials during an FBI raid of Mar-a-Lago are now claiming to be outraged by a similar situation that has arisen with the discovery of classified materials by Joe Biden’s attorneys at a DC think tank.

It’s a sudden change of heart that reveals the very political side of Washington politicians’ response to allegations of mismanagement by one of their own.

John Bowden breaks it down for us in The Independent:

[10 January 2023 21:00 · John Bowden]

ICYMI: Everything we know so far about classified Biden documents found at think tank

Attorney General Merrick Garland has advised the US attorney in Chicago to review a number of potentially classified documents taken from the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement in Washington DC — including potentially classfied documents from President Joe Biden’s vice presidential office. Here’s what we know so far.

[10 January 2023 21:33 · John Bowden]

Does the classified papers stash make Joe Biden as bad as Trump? Here is the key difference

To hear Republicans react to reports that attorneys working for President Joe Biden had discovered — and promptly reported — the presence of documents bearing classification markings at a Washington DC think tank where he kept an office before launching his 2020 presidential campaign, Christmas came early in the new year.

But as The Independent’s Andrew Feinberg writes, one key difference between the president’s actions and those of Donald Trump will go a long way toward keeping the Department of Justice off his back.

[10 January 2023 22:00 · John Bowden]

Biden attends trilateral meeting with North American leaders

Joe Biden was in Mexico today attending a trilateral meeting with the leaders of Canada and Mexico.

Trade and immigration are likely to be top topics on the agenda, as well as regional efforts across North America to fight climate change.

Mr Obrador has challenged Mr Biden to work at improving relations between the US and Central American countries.

[10 January 2023 22:45 · John Bowden]

GOP requests intelligence 'damage assessment' of Biden docs

The top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee has requested that the U.S. intelligence community conduct a “damage assessment” of potentially classified documents found in the Washington office space of President Joe Biden’s former institute,

Rep. Mike Turner sent the request Tuesday to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, saying that Biden's retention of the documents put him in “potential violation of laws protecting national security, including the Espionage Act and Presidential Records Act.”

[10 January 2023 23:45 · John Bowden]

Biden ignores reporter question about classified documents for second day in a row

President Joe Biden ignored questions for the second day in a row about the classified documents from his time as vice president found at the offices of the DC think tank bearing his name.

Mr Biden was attending the Three Amigos summit in Mexico City along with the leaders of Canada and Mexico on Tuesday when he was asked about the documents during a sitdown in front of the press with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“Mr President, did you mishandle classified documents?” a reporter yelled at Mr Biden, who smiled and stayed quiet.

Gustaf Kilander has more:

[11 January 2023 00:33 · Phil Thomas]

Biden ‘surprised’ by discovery of documents

Joe Biden has made his first public response to news that classified documents were found at a former office he had used while vice-president.

Having twice declined to answer shouted questions from journalists about the issue while he continues his trip to Mexico, the president said he was “surprised” by the discovery of the papers.

“We are cooperating fully with the review, which I hope will be finished soon,” he said.

He said his attorneys “did what they should have done” when they immediately called the National Archives about the discovery at the offices of the Penn Biden Centre in Washington DC.

Andrew Buncombe has the full story:

[11 January 2023 00:45 · John Bowden]

Classified papers found in Biden office included memos on Ukraine, Iran and UK

The classified papers discovered in a think tank office formerly used by Joe Biden included intelligence memos on Ukraine, Iran and the United Kingdom, CNN reported.

An Illinois-based federal prosecutor has been tasked with investigating the presence of potentially classified documents found by Mr Biden’s personal attorneys.

Read more on this evolving story:

[11 January 2023 01:45 · John Bowden]

GOP outrage, dodged questions and a new DOJ review: How Biden’s classified document haul rocked Washington

When the news first broke, a sense of deja vu seemed to wash over the nation’s capital. Classified documents were recovered from the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement in Washington DC, where Joe Biden kept an office after serving as vice president.

The documents’ discovery, and the subsequent admission by Mr Biden’s team, has set off a firestorm in Washington thanks to the obvious parallels between the president’s situation and that of Donald Trump. Mr Trump remains under investigation for the illegal retention of presidential records including dozens of classified records after the FBI raided his Mar-a-Lago estate last year.

The scope of Mr Biden’s trove is much narrower, but regardless is raising accusations of hypocrisy from Republicans who argue that Democrats are holding Mr Trump to a standard that they themselves did not meet.

[11 January 2023 02:45 · John Bowden]

Trump questions timing of Biden’s admission

Donald Trump on Tuesday was one of many Republicans who suggested that the midterms would have gone in their favour had the story about classified materials from Joe Biden’s time as vice president being found at his DC think tank come out earlier.

“Why didn’t the ‘Jusctice’ Department announce the Highly Classified documents found in the Biden Office before the election?” wrote Mr Trump in his signature style on Truth Social.

Mr Biden notably was not on the ballot in this year’s elections.