New details are revealed in the affair of secret government documents in the United States. According to media reports, former President Donald Trump’s team has turned over more classified material to the judiciary. The material was allegedly discovered a few weeks ago at Trump’s private residence Mar-a-Lago in Florida, broadcasters CNN and ABC reported Friday night (local time), citing unnamed sources. There was also a new find with former Trump deputy Mike Pence: During a search of his private home, FBI investigators discovered another classified government document on Friday.
The documents affair has kept the United States in suspense for months and has also reached US President Joe Biden. Confidentially marked documents from his time as vice president under Barack Obama have surfaced in the Democrat’s private rooms in recent weeks. Findings from his successor Trump already caused a stir in the summer. Both cases are now being investigated by special investigators. Finally, last month, Pence also had to admit that classified documents from his time as a deputy sheriff had turned up in his private home.
When he left the White House, Republican Trump took large amounts of government documents to his private estate in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, including some highly classified documents. The FBI searched the property in August and seized several classified documents. The National Archives had previously asked Trump several times to return the documents.
According to reports, after the search, the judiciary unsuccessfully demanded an assurance from Trump’s attorneys that no classified information was now in the former president’s possession. The broadcaster ABC wrote that Trump’s team then went looking for more documents and found them. Accordingly, an employee’s laptop on which classified material had been transferred was handed over. While at ABC there was only a supposedly empty folder with a lock besides the laptop, CNN said other classified documents had also been found and transferred to Trump.
During the house search in August, detectives had already seized dozens of empty folders with closing markers. Trump said he brought the flyers from the White House as souvenirs. Unlike Pence and Biden, whose two properties were also combed by investigators, Trump’s search was not pre-coordinated with the Justice Department. Pence had pre-approved the search of his Indiana home on Friday, his adviser Devin O’Malley made clear again Friday.
In addition to a document marked classified, the search found six other pages of government materials without such marking, US media quoted O’Malley as saying. It has been known since late January that secret files from his previous term in office have been found in the home of 63-year-old Republican Pence in Carmel. It was said that a lawyer had discovered the documents at the time. They were subsequently arrested by the federal police.
Pence later said, “While I didn’t know this classified information was in our private home, let me be clear: This classified information was not supposed to be there.” The search now being carried out would have lasted five hours. Pence was reportedly not present, but one of his associates was. The Republican was number two in the state under Trump from 2017 to 2021. Like his former boss, he is expected to run for the Republican presidential nomination. Trump announced his candidacy in November. The election will take place at the end of 2024.
Trump accuses the judiciary of being politically motivated in their investigations against him. Special counsel Jack Smith is not only investigating Trump’s documents affair, but also the Republican’s role in the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
According to media reports, Special Counsel Smith also subpoenaed Pence during this investigation. Pence would be required to make a statement and documents were also requested, it said. The special counsel is particularly interested in the exchange between Trump and Pence surrounding the storming of the House of Representatives and the 2020 presidential election, which Trump falsely claims to this day cheated victory. Pence could claim executive privilege – the government’s privilege to keep certain information secret.
During the attack on the Capitol, Pence narrowly escaped the violence of the angry mobs that Trump had previously incited against his then vice president. At the time, Congress met to formally confirm the election victory of Trump’s Democratic challenger Biden. The violent mob wanted to prevent that.
At the time, Pence was presiding over the congressional session in his role as vice president—legally, a purely ceremonial duty. Trump had previously openly called on his deputy to block the proceedings – in order to prevent the transfer of office. Pence refused to give in to Trump’s pressure at the time. The arch-conservative politician had previously been loyal to Trump for a long time. It wasn’t until after the attack on the Capitol that he turned against his former boss. (sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
