Former Vice President Mike Pence made no excuses for the classified documents that were recently discovered at his home in Indiana, an embarrassing episode for a man who could be mulling a 2024 White House run that would pit him against his former boss whom he had previously criticized over the possession of sensitive material.
This week, Pence informed Congress that he had discovered a small number of classified documents at his Carmel, Indiana residence earlier this month and that he had quickly contacted the National Archives which notified the FBI, a revelation that came as President Joe Biden’s presidency could be imperiled by documents that were found in his former office at a Washington, D.C. think tank and stored in a garage at the Wilmington, Delaware home he shared with his son Hunter Biden.
In remarks during a Friday appearance at Florida International University in Miami, the topic of the classified documents inevitably came up with the ex-veep acknowledging that “It’s actually been a very humbling week for us,” before launching into an extended explanation in which he expressed his hope that the American people won’t hold the “mistake” against him.
“But I know we did the right thing. Look, the proper handling of classified information is very important to the national interest. Throughout my career in the Congress and as your vice president, we always sought to take great care in the handling of the nation’s secrets. At the close of our administration, we did a thorough review of all the documents in the possession of the office of the Vice President and in the residence of the vice president,” Pence said.
(Video: CNN)
“And I’m confident that was conducted in a professional manner. But with news in recent weeks of repeated disclosure of classified documents in the personal residence of President Biden. Documents dating back to his service as vice president. I simply thought out of an abundance of caution, it would be appropriate to review my personal records kept at our residence in the state of Indiana,” he added.
“And we initiated that process. Along the way, we determined that there was a small number of documents marked classified or sensitive, interspersed in my personal papers. Upon making that discovery, we secured those documents immediately. We alerted the National Archives. We turned them over to the FBI and soon thereafter communicated to the Congress. And while I was not aware that those classified documents were in our personal residence, let me be clear. Those classified documents should not have been in my personal residence,” Pence admitted.
“Mistakes were made. And I take full responsibility. And I’ve directed my counsel to work with the National Archives, with the Department of Justice and with the Congress to fully cooperate in any investigation. Our national security depends on the proper handling of classified and sensitive materials. And I know that when errors are made, it’s important that they be resolved swiftly,” he concluded.
Pence is definitely singing a different tune after he joined the entire political establishment in ripping former President Donald J. Trump who had his Mar-a-Lago residence stormed by FBI agents sent by Biden’s hyper-partisan Attorney General Merrick Garland in an unprecedented raid to confiscate classified material that was in his possession in August.
Remember when Mike Pence slammed President Trump for having classified documents?
Looks like Mike is the lying hypocrite we always knew he was.
Maybe he should’ve asked “Mother” to keep better track of his papers. pic.twitter.com/wKK25lq9lS
— Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS) January 24, 2023
“Mike Pence is an innocent man. He never did anything knowingly dishonest in his life. Leave him alone!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social after news about Pence’s documents broke.
(Image: Screengrab/Truth Social)
“We acted above politics and put national interests first,” Pence said, in a seeming appeal to potential voters if he chooses to run for president next year.
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