The 13-hour search comes amid a private attorney’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents.
Biden on classified documents: ‘There is no there’
President Joe Biden said he was “not there” after secret documents were discovered in his former home and office. Speaking to reporters Thursday in California, Biden said “a few documents have been filed in the wrong place.” (19 January)
AP
Washington – FBI Six additional operatives were found with classified items from President Joe Biden’s home in Wilmington, Del., during an all-day search Friday of his private residence, according to the president’s attorney.
The search began at 9:45 am. Bob Bauer, Biden’s personal attorney, said in a statement Saturday, which ended Friday at about 10:30 p.m. the same day, classified documents from Biden’s tenure as vice president and in the US Senate.
The disclosure comes amid a special counsel’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents.
The 13-hour search took place after Biden’s legal team granted the Justice Department access to the president’s home when an initial batch of classified documents was found there earlier this month.
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Justice Department: FBI conducted “consensus research”
Bauer said the Justice Department was granted “full access” to the home including handwritten notes, files, papers, folders, keepsakes, to-do lists, schedules and reminders going back “decades.”
Bauer said investigators seized “six items consisting of hashtag documents and surrounding material” from Biden’s tenure as vice president and US senator. Handwritten notes from the Vice President Biden years were also confiscated.
A Justice Department spokesperson said that “the FBI conducted a planned, consensual search” of Biden’s home.
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Biden at his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware vacation home
Biden left the White House on Friday evening for Rehoboth Beach, Del., where he is spending the weekend at his vacation home.
In agreement with the Justice Department, representatives of Biden’s personal legal team and the White House legal counsel were present during the search. Biden was not present.
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“The President and his team are working quickly to ensure that the Department of Justice and the Special Counsel have what they need to conduct a comprehensive review,” Richard Sauber, Special Counsel to the President, said in a statement.
Bauer said the Justice Department requested that the research not be made public in advance.
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Biden classified documents
Saturday’s announcement marked the fourth time the White House or Biden’s personal attorneys disclosed that classified documents had been found at sites linked to Biden. The president’s lawyers did not say how many documents were discovered in all.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed a special counsel, Robert Hoare, to investigate Biden’s handling of classified documents. In addition, the Republican-led House Committee on Oversight and Accountability has launched its own investigation.
Biden He told reporters Thursday he had “no regrets” that he did not disclose the first discovery of classified documents in November, shortly before the midterm elections.
“We’re cooperating fully and looking forward to getting this resolved quickly,” Biden said. “I think you’ll find there’s nothing there.”
An initial batch of about 10 classified documents was found on November 2 in the former president’s office at the Ben Biden Center in Washington. Biden’s lawyers said they immediately notified the Justice Department and the National Archives.
Six more documents were found earlier this month in a room adjoining Biden’s garage in the Wilmington home after an unknown number of documents were discovered on December 20 inside the garage.
Connect with Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.
Contributing: Francesca Chambers, Josh Meyer