The National Archives weighs searching for classified documents on all former presidents and vice presidents

The National Archives is considering requiring all living former presidents and vice presidents to search their personal records for classified documents after such materials were found at the residences of Joe Biden, Donald Trump and Mike Pence over the past year.

Two people familiar with the discussions. told the Washington Post that the National Archives, which is responsible for the preservation of documents at the end of a White House administration, wants to make sure that no classified material is inadvertently left pending.

In recent months, at least 25 to 30 classified documents have been found at President Biden’s home in Wilmington, Delaware, and at his think tank in Washington, DC.

Also, this month records with classified marks were found at the home of former Vice President Mike Pence in Indiana.

It follows an unprecedented FBI raid on former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, in August, which resulted in the recovery of more than 100 classified documents.

The list of remaining living former executives includes former presidents Barack Obama, 61; George W. Bush, 76; Bill Clinton, 76; and Jimmy Carter, 98; as well as Vice Presidents Dick Cheney, 81 years old; AlGore, 74; and Dan Quayle, 75.

Biden’s lawyers found classified documents at his home and garage in Delaware, as well as at the DC offices of the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement. The documents were turned over to the Archives.

Pence’s attorney, Greg Jacobs, said the former vice president gave the FBI permission to collect such materials last week after a lawyer found a “small number” of documents with classified markings in a search of his home.

Recent discoveries of confidential records at the personal residences and workplaces of Trump, Biden and Pence underscored the limitations of the Presidential Records Act, which requires the preservation of documents of executive figures and the handing over of these materials once they leave office. .

Hundreds of documents with classified marks were recovered from Donald Trump’s residence in Mar-a-Lago last year.

Lawyers for former US Vice President Mike Pence recently found classified documents at his Indiana home.

The Archives acquires ownership of millions of presidential documents from outgoing presidents the moment their successor is sworn in. This especially includes classified materials, which are considered government property.

All items deemed ‘personal’ can go home with former presidents.

Since there is such a large volume of documents at the end of a presidency, compliance can be difficult to monitor and enforce.

An adviser in Obama’s post-presidential office told the Post on Tuesday that classified records from the former president’s time in the White House have already been sent to the National Archives.

Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed special counsel Jack Smith to oversee the investigation into Trump’s mishandling of classified materials. Trump has repeatedly criticized the special counsel, accusing Smith earlier this week of “viciously harassing and intimidating everyone in sight” in a Truth Social post.

Garland also appointed special counsel to investigate Biden’s handling of classified materials following his departure from the White House while serving as Obama’s vice president.

The decision to name the special counsel is widely approved by more than eight in 10 Americans, according to polls.