Trump/Biden Document Cases Are Not Related … So Stop Comparing Them
When we were a child, I suspect we can all remember excusing something we did by saying, “Johnny did it” – only to have mother rhetorically ask, “Would you jump in the lake if Johnny did?” (We probably would, but the point was not lost.)
Whenever the question of the White House documents in the illegal possession of President Biden, the Democrat partisans spend most of the time explaining the differences between the two cases – and there are differences, but they are irrelevant to the basic facts.
The fundamental transgression is the same. Both President Trump and President Biden possessed documents that they were not supposed to have, according to authorities. That is the basic fact.
Some note that Trump refused to return the documents – claiming he had a right to them. The Department of Justice used extreme means to get back as much as they could. Biden has agreed to (1) return any documents inappropriately and illegally removed from government custody and (2) eventually allow the DOJ to conduct a search of his home in Wellington.
The vive la difference proponents also note that Trump had a lot more government documents – including top secret documents – than Biden. That, too, is irrelevant.
To understand why all these differences raised in defense of Biden are irrelevant, think of it this way. You have two guys who possess “stolen” goods that they obtained from the rightful owners. The fact that one of the guys gave up the ill-gotten goods voluntarily and the other did not, make no difference to the fact that they both had “stolen” goods.
The number of items makes no difference. If these guys were both bank robbers, you would not exonerate one of them because he did not get as much cash as the other guy.
In other words, unless they can prove that Trump helped Biden procure the documents improperly, the former President has NOTHING to do with the Biden case. They are two completely different cases with only one mutual fact. They both obtained and possessed documents that were illegally removed from the White House.
So, let us look at the Biden case without gratuitous politically motivated comparisons.
The Biden defense is that all the documents in his possession were taken “unwittingly” by some anonymous staffer – suggesting that he had no idea that he possessed such documents. Biden does not say that, but the implication is there.
I find the dog-ate-the-homework excuse impossible to believe. Biden had improper possession of documents since his days in the Senate (that needs of ‘splaining) and as Vice President — and he never knew of any of those documents, secret and otherwise? Come on, man. He had some of the documents for more than 10 years.
Furthermore, the media myopically focuses on the secret documents in Biden’s case. We are now up to 30 classified documents – but are yet to learn how many other White House documents have improperly found their way into Biden’s private world. Remember, it is also illegal to take non-secret documents home from the White House – even what the media calls “Biden’s personal handwritten notes.” I expect the next revelation drip with be the total number.
While Biden is being praised for “fully cooperating,” that is not entirely true. And there was an obvious attempt to resolve the problem without transparency. The initial documents were found by his lawyers in November. Those documents were returned to the National Archives quietly. Then more documents were found in December – at Biden’s private office at the University of Pennsylvania. And still, no effort to inform the public – until the story was leaked to CBS and spread through the media.
An unanswered question is why it took a month to uncover the second batch. And it was another month before team Biden “discovered” yet more classified documents in January. What took so long? While we do not know the specific answer, we can safely say that the search by the Biden lawyers was neither timely nor thorough.
Once the case was turned over to Special Counsel Robert Hur, the FBI carried out a “thorough search” of Biden’s home in Wilmington, Delaware. They completed in hours what the Biden lawyers had been dragging out for months – and MORE classified documents were found that the lawyers missed. Yes, more were found where team-Biden had allegedly searched on several occasions over several months.
There may be more classified documents if the FBI carries out searches at Biden’s Rehoboth Beach home and other locations where he worked and resided. It would be a dereliction of duty if they do not.
At some point, we will see the scope of the Biden Collection – classified and not. That, however, is only the foundation for the serious issues to be investigated.
First of all, there will be efforts to see who could have removed those documents. Who selected the files to be put into the moving boxes? Did Biden select files to be packed – either by others or himself? If Biden is to have any defense at all, someone will have to be identified as the culprit – the scapegoat. Who decided which files went where?
As part of the Special Counsel investigation, the files will be fingerprinted to see who handled them. That may not be definitive proof of who packed them up, but it will limit the field of potential suspects. It would be more telling to see whose fingerprints were on the moving boxes.
Then there is the issue of the subject matter of the improperly removed files. Did any of them have to do with the President’s son Hunter’s highly questionable business activities in Ukraine, Russia, and China? Was there any information connecting the President to Hunter’s business activities?
Of course, if that was the purpose to remove such evidence, it is likely such files would have been destroyed by now. But until a complete investigation is concluded, there remains the possibility that some of the information may prove to be embarrassing for Biden.
Then there is the BIG issue. Who else had access to the files at the various locations? It seems more than likely that some unauthorized people would have delved into the boxes and files – especially those at the University. None of the documents were adequately secured from curious eyes. Fingerprints may lead to folks who could only have touched the documents after they were removed from government custody.
The records at the home may have exposed the documents to a very limited number of people, but those at the University are potentially more problematic. Based on what we know, there were a significant number of people who had access to that office – some with their own keys. In fact, one of the pursuits is to find out how many people did have keys – from Biden to the cleaning staff.
What is particularly disturbing is the fact that the creation of the Biden office at the University came suspiciously close to a $50 million gift to the school from the Peoples’ Republic of China. The possibility of a connection cannot be ignored.
Despite Biden’s cryptic comment on the subject, there is a LOT of there there – and most of it is yet to be discovered. And none of it has anything to do with the Trump case or the Democrats and media’s attempts to deflect from the facts of the Biden case.
So, there ‘tis.
Right. Trump is innocent. Biden is guilty. Seriously
Apparently a Larry investigation into both Biden and Trump document scandals is all Biden, all the time.
Is there a part two Larry where you live up to your own headline?
Oh wait, apparently “stop comparing them” means just talk about Biden.
Sigh. Partisan Punditry casting blame on MSM partisan pundits.
Pot/kettle award on this one.
Plus, really boring red meat to the beasts piece.
What about Pence?
The communist mainstream “We Lie To You News” are working overtime to (cover) make it seem like this thing with Biden is a common thing, and that all the presidents have done it, so move along, nothing to see here.
I would gather that every president back to Jimmy Carter is looking in their closets and their desks as I type.
Yes, they all do it and when caught nothing happens.
The real question is it a national security concern. And that’s both the document and where you kept it. That’s a different story.
Against that is the fact that the government over classifies so even a classified document may be pretty tame.
There are laws on the books for this, every president and vice president, since Richard Nixon has to know this, and yet mistakes are common, enforcement is lax, and penalties are virtually none.
If anything good comes of this, it will be a tightening of said laws and having the archives create a stricter, tracking and enforcement policies.
The special prosecutors will get to the bottom of how dangerous each of these classified documents are, and who might’ve had access. As well as answering the question that Larry posed of who was involved. I for one would love to know who the hell packed 35 boxes of papers for Trump.
The one big difference between all of these players, Trump, Biden, and Pence, and I’m sure the other presidents too is that Trump obstructed justice by lying and hiding documents after he was caught. Again, the special prosecutors will have to weigh what that means in terms of prosecution. But given the fact that we are up to three presidents with more probably to be at it, I would gather that Trump once again will slip the noose and be like oh for his obstruction. Just too many documents out there.
The other guys will just give them back, get a slap on the wrist, unless there is a national security concern, and that will depend on both documents, as well as access to said document. .
There’s also the issue of Biden, not disclosing said documents when he found them just before the election. As Larry would say, so what, it’s legal, but let’s face it, it was a dirty trick at minimum. That’s probably one for the polls and not the courts. Perhaps when they tighten up the laws, they will tighten up that one too.
So how did Trump lie and hide documents? The National archives knew he had documents and even advised him to add another lock where they were stored.
Your Dem bias is showing!!!
No president should remove documents from White House , they should all be kept in secured location in the White House !!!!!
It’s like we don’t take any paperwork home from our jobs, it stays at our workplace!!!!! DUH 🙄
PRESIDENT Trump was a president, not a senator, or. V.P. like Pedo Joe was. But as I have said many times, Pedo Joe will claim insanity and the puck will walk away, and then he will pardon his crack headed son. And while we are on the subject, where are the 33million documents that BATH HOUSE BARRY has yet to send to the archives? And still to this day, has not been sent. NEVER TRUST A democRAT or a Muslim
Vet: BUSTED. Obama lie proven years ago as right-wing fabrication.
The rest of your shit probably stinks too.
When will you fools learn: look it up. Jfgi
Question……Trump as a President has a right to have such documents but should have disclosed this to the proper folks…but does a Vice President has any authority to take anything from the White House ? I was told that only a President can take anything, with disclosure.
LJ … Based on what I know — and my own experience at the White House — government documents — classified or not — are not to taken home by anyone. That is the central debate in the Trump case. That was not clear when I was in the WH since it was before the presidential record law. Official documents can not be taken and kept by a President even if disclosed. Some argue otherwise, and that is what the DOJ or the Supreme Court will have to settle.
There is obviously a bit of senility in the Biden Family. If you were President, would your kid leave such a Lap Top anywhere to be found?
Would you leave Top Secret Documents lying around in different places and go on 60 Min. I think he did not remember he even had them.
Just look at his time spent in Politics let alone his time as President.
The elevator does not go to the top floor in his head or his family’s. But that is par for the course in a Democratic Government.
Come On MAN
My understanding of all this is that Trump, while President, has the legal authority to declassify anything he wants to declassify, but a Vice President does not have that authority. Also, my understanding was that Trump was in communication with the DOJ and the Archives people about what he had in his possession and followed there instructions on how to properly secure them and even took steps to place additional locks to protect the documents he had in his possession. Biden, as a Senator and then as Vice President, took all of these documents to various locations without the authority to declassify any of them, was not in communication with anyone about having these declassified documents and took no steps to properly secure them. Now, if I am missing something in my understanding of all of this, please educate me and I will gladly amend my understanding of the differences here.
What is relevant here is that a president has the power to declassify whatever documents they want. A senator and even a vice president does not have that power.
Actually, the vp can declassify. Look it up
Not so
Oh yeah its so, there’s an executive order. I believe it’s 13526 but don’t hold me to the actual number.
Just don’t understand in this day and age ehy people just don’t Google it before they open their mouth and look stupid. Really stupid. Brain dead stupid.
Then why do you look stupid? You don’t Google anything and if you do that don’t make it true. Dumbass
I provided the eo number.
Love a guy who doubles down on dumbass.
Strike two moron. , jfgi.
FRank Stetson … The President has ultimate exclusive authority over classification and declassification … period. Who issued the EO? Of course, he can grant that power procedurally … and can revoke it. Others also classify based on the power of the President. If — under the current EO — can the President declassify a document classified by the VP? The answer is … you are BUSTED.
Well no duh Captain Obvious Larry.
I gave you the Eo number. Of course it was procedural, it’s an EO
And I mentioned nothing about classification, you are imaging what I said and putting your thoughts where they don’t exist. Sound familiar third-person man?
So again, the VP can declassify.
This is the second BUSTED you have been busted on. Find another term, you disrespect the science. 🙂
Heres the joke, it’s an Obama EO and Turnip didn’t rescind it. You just gotta know he must love it if he doesn’t kill an Obama EO. Ooops, missed em again Josie…
You can disagree with my opinions, but it’s rare to catch ne on a fact being wrong. No matter what you dream.
Frank Stetson … There you go again, Captain Ignorant. You are making a pathic effort to save you erroneous statement. Let us keep is simple. It is the President of the United States — and only the President who has the absolute constitutional authority to classify and declassify documents. Of course he empowers others to do that since a President is not about to make the judgement over tens of thousand of document being generated in every corner of the Executive Branch every day. Your statement was a claim that the VP as such inherent power. No … only the authority to exercise the President’s power. The Obama EO was nothing other than the President extending his exclusive authority to others to classify and declassify. No one else, however, as the unique, exclusive and unbridled right to classify or declassify. Your using the EO as proof that they do demonstrates an ignorance of the Constitution and the use of the EO. And you claim that you “mentioned nothing about classification” is contrary
to your specific statement on the subject. Apparently you cannot even retain what you wrote. Your contention was wrong — and you futile effort to defend your error in understanding is grade school stuff. You remain BUSTED with a citation for doubling down on your mistake.
My understanding of all this is that Trump, while President, has the legal authority to declassify anything he wants to declassify, but a Vice President does not have that authority. Also, my understanding was that Trump was in communication with the DOJ and the Archives people about what he had in his possession and followed there instructions on how to properly secure them and even took steps to place additional locks to protect the documents he had in his possession. Biden, as a Senator and then as Vice President, took all of these documents to various locations without the authority to declassify any of them, was not in communication with anyone about having these declassified documents and took no steps to properly secure them. Now, if I am missing something in my understanding of all of this, please educate me and I will gladly amend my understanding of the differences here.
That is correct, the President is the ultimate classifying authority, all document classification authority derives from him. Not the VP, not the Secretary of Sate.
I don’t know about sos, but vp yes.
I gave you the executive order number.
You can look it up.
You can google it; there’s a hundred confirming sources.
Really Joe, shooting from the hip?
I know you think I lie, but rarely are tagged. You must knowcI checked and rechecked. I am truly disappointed in your piss poor post.
Gullible fools.
A true even handed comparison between two or more things is only possibly credible in the absence of bias.
The loyal Ford pickup person giving a comparison between Ford. Chevrolet, and Toyota will lean heavily on personal opinion favoring Ford, while trashing Chevy and Tundra. So, at the outset, understand where the camparo author is coming from.
Also, if one has been listening, reading, and watching interviews of people in the know in both what matters in secret information handling and the significant details in both cases,. Consensus is that these two are no more alike than a baseball and a basketball.
In all the hullabaloo be made by both Republicans and Democrats it is very probable that Trump will not be indicted for any multitude of bad acts he committed while in office and since. The DOJ will honor his status as past president.
As hot as Republicans are to investigate President Biden out of partisan revengeful hatred, their efforts will be made in vain. And, tying Hunter Biden in to the investigation , while they’re at it, is most irrelevant.
Republicans in Congress can ill afford investing in revenge driven investigations that are superfluous.
When an elected official from either party points a finger or speaks to an issue.
Ask your self, who has the most to gain from the message an official is sending. Critical thinkers will not accept as gospel truth any and all information received. Especially in the case of such information sent from sources having known biases established over a long time.
Readers of long standing on PBP know from which side of politics its opinion commentators come. Going forward eyed wide open in full understanding that information Weill be skewed the right, unapologetically. To the buyer, I say, beware.
Again, think when an ax is being vigorously ground to sharp. To whose advantage is the ax swung. When, clearly, the one doing the grinding gains at another’s undemocratic expense. Then, surely, something’s off with this picture.
PBP bills itself as conservative but balanced in opinion, treating issues of the day with an openness to debate , hence democratic. Readers, judge for yourself, think critically, comment, and see. Are other points of view and wider perspectives entertained by PBP authors of commentary? Then, is the reply function a forum for civil discourse and debate?
The civility question is a fail. Reply users find themselves personally accosted as unworthy of PBP’s produce for intellectual deficiencies.
In all opinions not ever wrong or in error while professing the right side of history is where it stands. The humility typical for the political right wing is actually a pontificating show The want for sounds of fury, signifying ……crickets.
What a better place our country would be if all we self centered individual boxes could think and see out of our self interest box to others. Not to deride, judge, and mock, but to seek others’ thoughts and ideas so to learn from them.and learn to listen.
Ac … Sometime I am not sure if your pomposity or your absurdity is your leading quality. Have you considered how absurd your criticism of PBP for being one side is in view of the fact that folks like you are not censored or blocked? I am a First Amendment extremist and very proud of a sight that does not censor other opinions — no matter how ill-informed or offensive they may be. And you pomposity shows when you whine about “reply users” finding themselves being “personally accosted.” Good God … have you not read the nasty attracts of the “reply users”? Including you insults in the name of rebuttal. Free speech is a two way street.
Oh bull Larry. Free speech does not mean being rude, wrong or worse yet a liar is OK. Fuck the “it’s lega” crap, its wrong.
I know people censored here, I know of bans. Give it a rest.
It is more open than most, seems to allow a high degree of racist hate speak, but that’s expected given the right wing lunatic fringe that is being enabled.
But more open than most yet not totally free speech.
Frank Stetson … You obviously do not understand the difference between protected free speech and good taste. The Constitution protects rudeness, vulgarity, profanity, and personal insults. Even non-slanderous lies are protected. In fact, you engage in such speech every day. And then you get on your pompous high-horse to claim otherwise. We can agree that nasty speech is offensive … but not a violation of the Constitution. You need to better understand the distinction. You call the question of legality as “crap.” Just like an arrogant snowflake left-winger, you seem to believe that your opinions and sensitives should trump law and the Constitution — and the rights of those with whom you disagree. And in view of all the times you have been “rude, wrong or worse even a liar,” you should not be so full of ….. oh yeah … yourself.