Former US vice-president Pence said he did not know his home contained classified documents, but pledged to take full responsibility.
“Let me make it clear that these classified documents should not have been in my own home,” former US vice president Mike Pence said at Florida International University on January 27.
Mr. Pence insisted that he was completely unaware that there were classified documents at his home, but claimed this was not an excuse. “Something went wrong and I will take full responsibility,” Pence said.
Former US Vice President Mike Pence in Rock Hill, South Carolina, in December 2022. Photo: AP.
Former Vice President Pence announced on January 24 that he had discovered classified documents at his home and pledged to cooperate with the US House of Representatives on this matter. Mr. Pence said a few months earlier that he had not brought classified documents with him at the end of his term as vice president of the United States.
According to the former US vice president, he cautiously inspected his own home after classified documents were discovered at the home of President Joe Biden in Delaware state and his former office in Washington, DC.
Mr. Pence added that he has directed his attorney to work with the National Archives (NARA), the US Department of Justice and cooperate fully in any investigation. He also hopes people realize that he acted quickly to correct the mistake.
NARA on January 26 sent a letter to former presidents and former vice presidents of the six most recent administrations, as part of the Presidential Records Act (PRA), asking them to review personal documents. to check for possible omissions of classified files or documents from the White House.
Ngoc Anh (Theo AP)