A report revealed that the Department of Justice (DOJ) was working with the White House for months to prevent the discovery of Joe Biden's classified documents from coming to light.
According to The Washington Post, just days after the documents were first discovered in an office at the Penn Biden Center, a justice agency official wrote a letter to Bob Bauer, the president's personal attorney, asking him to collaborate in the investigation and to secure the documents, but without reviewing their contents.
The Washington Post reported that in the letter, the official also requested information regarding other places where more classified documents could be found.
According to The Washington Post, two anonymous sources stated that the White House initially tried to investigate how the documents got to the Penn Biden Center office. However, the DOJ later announced that it would take over the case.
News of the discovery of the classified documents was kept under wraps for months. According to the Post, the files were found on November 2 but didn't go public until January 9, when CBS released a report.
Nov. 2022: Classified documents found at Biden Center
Dec. 2022: Classified documents found at Biden’s house
White House says NOTHING
Jan. 2023: News media reports that classified documents were found at Biden Center
White House still says NOTHING about docs found at house
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) January 17, 2023
Some outlets believe that if the news had gone public before the midterm elections, the results would have been different.
Biden downplays discovery
Ever since the media broke the news of the classified files, Joe Biden has tried to dodge questions from the press and downplay the importance of the case.
In fact, on Thursday he said he had no regrets about hiding documents containing sensitive material that could have put the country's security at risk.
NEW: "There's no there there," President Biden says in response to a question on the classified documents found at his home and former office, while delivering remarks in California.
"I think you're going to find there's nothing there. I have no regrets." https://t.co/iGTyH4atBx pic.twitter.com/0C0AWDkbfO
— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 20, 2023
"We're fully cooperating, looking forward to getting this resolved quickly. I think you're gonna find there's nothing there. I have no regrets. I'm following what the lawyers have told me they want me to do. That's exactly what we're doing. There's no there there," he said.
