FBI agents did not find classified documents when searching President Biden’s home, but seized some documents for further investigation.
“No classified documents were found” when the FBI searched the home President Joe Biden used to vacation in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Bob Bauer, Biden’s personal attorney, said on 1 / 1. 2. The search lasted from 8:30 a.m. to noon of the same day.
However, agents “have seized a number of papers and handwritten notes related to Biden’s time as vice president of the United States to learn more,” Bauer added.
Bauer earlier said the raid was the next step in the Justice Department’s “thorough and timely” process, adding that President Biden would continue to provide full support and facilitate.
The White House counsel’s office did not send a representative to participate in the search, according to White House spokesman Ian Sams. “We have followed the guidance of the Department of Justice.” The Justice Department has access to “every room” of Biden’s home in Rehoboth Beach and Wilmington.
The Secret Service stands guard outside President Joe Biden’s home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, US, on February 1. Photo: Reuters.
The FBI raid is the latest development in an investigation into how Biden kept secret documents from his time as vice president in the Barack Obama administration.
Biden’s lawyers discovered the first batch of classified documents in November 2022 in the Washington, D.C. office, which Biden used from mid-2017 as a former vice president, until the start of the campaign. campaign for the 2020 presidential election, they claim to have immediately handed over these documents to the National Archives Authority (NARA).
Since then, searches have uncovered more classified documents in the Biden family’s garage in Wilmington, Delaware. US Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed Robert Hur, an official appointed by the previous administration of Donald Trump, to be the special prosecutor investigating the incident.
President Biden on January 19 insisted there was “nothing” in the classified documents, expressed “no regrets” and believed the matter would be resolved soon.
NARA on January 26 sent a letter to the former presidents and vice presidents of the six most recent administrations, as part of the Presidential Records Act, asking them to re-examine personal documents for possible leave out classified files or documents from the White House.
US officials also previously found classified documents at the homes of former President Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence. Mr. Pence pledged to cooperate in the investigation while the US Justice Department appointed a special prosecutor to handle the Trump case.
Like Tam (Theo Reuters, AFP)