Donald Trump for now certainly seems to have had more documents labeled classified at Mar-a-Lago in Florida than did Joe Biden at his various homes in Delaware.
Yet otherwise, the comparisons between the two cases, contrary to popular punditry, hardly favor Biden.
First, a stranger would face a far greater challenge entering a post-presidential Mar-a-Lago than a pre-presidential Joe Biden’s home, office, or garage—or who knows where?
Secret service agents and private security were stationed at Mar-a-Lago. Prior to the 2020 presidential election they were not at citizen Biden’s various troves for most of 2017-2020 much less prior to 2009.
Second, we seem to forget that for much of the developing controversy, Joe Biden’s own team was investigating Joe Biden.
On the other hand, the Biden Administration’s Justice Department and the FBI were not just investigating Trump as an outside party, but as a former president—and possible 2024 presidential candidate and opponent of Biden himself.
Remember, the narrative of the first Democratic impeachment of Donald Trump was the allegation that Trump had used his powers of the presidency to investigate Joe Biden and his family, a likely 2020 challenger to Trump’s reelection bid.
Third, no one in a position of government authority had passed judgment on Joe Biden’s alleged security violations.
That was not the case of the still alleged violations of Donald Trump.
Joe Biden, as president, had weighed in, during his own Justice Department’s ongoing investigations of Trump. Indeed, he proclaimed the former president to be guilty: “How could anyone be that irresponsible?” In contrast, he also dismissed the ongoing investigation of himself with “There is no there, there.”
Fourth, Trump is certainly right that as president he had a far more substantial claim of declassification rights than did Biden who took the papers out either as a senator or vice president.
Fifth, the FBI was not merely asymmetrical in melodramatically raiding the Trump home while allowing Biden lawyers to inspect various Biden stashes. The FBI also leaked the purported contents of the subjects of the Trump classified documents (falsely spreading the lie of “nuclear codes” and “nuclear secrets”) in a way it has not with the Biden cache.
The FBI went so far as to scatter the documents on the floor for a fake news photo-op as if the papers were so messily arrayed when they arrived.
So far, the FBI has come lightly and belatedly to the Biden case without the SWAT team get-up, and only under pressure from the public and the Republican opposition.
Six, Biden did not “self-report.” Biden’s team did not call the relevant government authorities the minute they discovered the classified documents in Biden’s office and home and garage.
In truth, Biden, or someone close to Biden, certainly knew that he or someone close to him had illegally removed classified documents when he left the vice presidency in 2017—or years earlier as a senator.
For at least the last six years—at least—Biden has felt no compunction to confess to authorities he illegally was in possession of classified documents.
Indeed, the only reason the current troves are coming to light was apparent White House paranoia that the media, the Biden Justice Department, and the special counsel were so fixated on the Trump documents that they likely feared someone might raise the logical question of whether a hypocritical Biden himself might be guilty of exactly the crime for which they were pursuing Trump.
Worse, Biden and his staff knew classified documents were in his possession before the midterms, but deliberately suppressed that information until after the elections were over.
Seventh, Trump’s documents were stored only at one place—Mar-a-Lago, and only for about 19 months. Biden’s were stashed at various locations for nearly seven years—or perhaps over a decade. There were far more opportunities of time and space for those without security clearances to have access to the Biden documents than to the Trump files.
Eighth, the press has exhaustively speculated, usually wrongly, about how the documents reached Mar-a-Lago and what they contained. In contrast, no one knows or even asks why Biden took classified documents, what they concerned, or who if any in his family circle had access to them.
Ninth, Trump’s documents did not expose other liabilities of the constantly investigated Trump. The Biden files so far have directed attention to the mysterious tens of millions of dollars in Communist Chinese money that poured into Biden’s think tank at the University of Pennsylvania, the proximity of members of the quid pro quo Biden consortium to these classified papers, and the files’ relevance, if any, to the Biden family’s overseas businesses. Did Hunter Biden ever consult or view classified documents while living in a home with them? Will there be fingerprint or DNA tests on the documents? If Hunter consulted any of these classified documents, then the Biden presidency is finished.
Tenth, former President Trump possessed contested documents as a private citizen. Biden’s files under contention involve the current behavior of the president of the United States. Biden ran for office, was elected, and serves as president with the full knowledge that during all this time he unlawfully possessed classified documents.
Prescient as usual Sir.
As usual, main-stream media and deep-state federal agencies are predisposed to abuse “conservatives” and coddle “progressives.” No relief in sight since media moderators in 2016 POTUS debates deliberately highlighted the two worst possible D&R candidates, and forced voters to hold their noses and pick one. Destructive cultural chaos ever since.
How can we support electoral process reforms to get quality people in office?
I.e. people with demonstrated competence and CARE FOR THE COMMON GOOD, Constitution, Bill of Rights, Rule of Law, respectful citizen behaviors, public safety,…
Key elements:
1. Open primary; candidates from all parties (e.g. @Pol_Innovation)
2. Disciplined debates; quality moderators, not self-serving biased #Media
3. FCC license should require all media to carry all debates
4. 4 to 8 debates; drop a candidate after each;
5. Final 5 candidates in election (@Pol_Innovation)
6. Ranked Choice Voting or Approval Voting to elect winner > 50% of votes
7. Efficient, standardized, trust-worthy auditing of ballots
8. Term limits for legislators; max 4 terms?
In my opinion, RCV is a scam promoted primarily by democrats.
It easily allows the person who is not the popular favorite to win. All you need to do is look at recent Alaska elections.
If you want to elect somebody who is NOT the people’s choice, then RCV is your friend.
Most people can’t figure this out — for good reason. RCV complicates the election process. Where there is complexity, there is also opportunity for mayhem.
By the way, Trump won in 2016. Get over it.
I could explain how RCV can be used to manipulate elections (and have many times) but VDH does not give me enough room in these little boxes to do so.
Victor, is the FBI redeemable or should it be broken up and not under the DOJ?
Why don’t R’s DEMAND a DOJ investigation of the “Biden Crime Family” activities, as D’s demand ?
I thoroughly enjoy every opportunity to listen to you speak on current issues, but especially your talks on WW JJNN,
Thank you.
mlm m
I would expect to find a DOJ investigation of the “Biden Crime Family” totally laughable–bring on the white wash.
The current Republican congress, though, has an opportunity through bipartisan hearings to bring out enough nefarious/treasonous facts of the Biden’s activities that the public at large would be truly disturbed and want further exposure of our crooked gov’t. This hopefully would serve as a catalyst to elect true reformers (genuine MAGA’s) that want to right the course of our country. This is a very tall order though, but we need fearless people that put country before self to lead this effort. Does the name “Trump” ring a bell? (Please do not dismiss what this man accomplished; the left is doing all it can to create “Trump Fatigue”–don’t allow it.)
DeSantis for president fans should keep their powder dry until the 2028 election. This will give him time to really make Florida a towering example for the rest of the states (those that are not so corrupt), that are truly looking for a blue print on how to fundamentally improve for the benefits of its citizens.
I watched “The Sting” again the other night. The long con game works.
Here’s one “outrageous” possibility.
This is all about Hunter Biden. They know that he will be totally exposed by the current conservative House. There is no place to hide. They also know that the documents that were in Joe’s possession at various locations were likely used by Hunter and others to make good on promises made to various foreign parties. Else, why did they pay him so much? They expect SOMETHING for their investment. So how do they get Hunter off the hook and preserve Joe’s viability as a future candidate?
You water down the law. You make it seem like EVERYBODY has classified documents. In this scenario, it becomes impossible to convict anybody on careless control of classified materials. If you convict one, you must convict all of them. That, of course, is impossible. Convict Mike Pence? Nope.
The Mar-A-Lago raid had nothing to do with Trump. It was the beginning of the long con to protect Hunter and Joe Biden.
If the FBI is capable of producing the “Jan 6 Talent Night and Review”, anything is possible.
Mystery solved. Next!
I would argue small document caches randomly placed across residences logically implies something more nefarious for our country than a larger cache at a single location by an ex-President who was under continual attack by political opponents. First off the small caches implies the content of the documents and materials were intimately understood by Biden, where as I doubt President Trump knows exactly what was on the documents at Mar-a-Lago. Second President Trump probably had a motivation to keep certain document materials for defensive reasons. Biden never had such political attacks requiring such a defense, so most likely these documents were used for personal gain for him and his family financially and/or politically.
Very strong case against Biden–far worse, far more dangerous–and one that we otherwise don’t hear. The bias is shameful.
As long as we have a corrupt or, at the least, partisan Justice Department and media, these “facts” don’t matter.
Additionally, there has been no reporting or other indication that Jill Biden’s lingerie closet or dresser was rifled through nor Ashley Biden’s room torn apart.
What I have feared from the beginning is we obviously have problems, but the tools to solve them have been sabotaged, if they ever would have worked in the first place – Einstein is believed to have said something pithy about such a situation.
So where does that leave us? It’s not as if Dr. Hanson can publicly state an obvious choice, even though hostilities are already underway along several fronts. I don’t believe the House will gain any traction with their investigations – no one will cooperate and the propagandists will bury or poopoo anything remotely damning.
I doubt the people will wake up or the bureaucracy will suddenly acquire a conscience anytime soon – how long did the USSR exist? How long have the Chicoms remained in power? As Dr. Hanson has said, the incentives seem to favor Team Blue, and people make the necessary adjustments.
So is all lost? I don’t know. How did the USSR fail? When what people saw everyday conflicted with the party line, maybe. Some things cannot be spun. Unlike the current classified dox hubbub.
For example, Joe had to act to lower fuel prices. As Dr. Hanson has stated, he may not have the luxury of doing in 2024 what he did in 2022. How can we exploit that weakness? Maybe 2024 should be the year we all pledge to double our fuel consumption no matter what the cost. We could apply this principle to a lot of different goods. Right now, I’m craving an omelette.
These events tell us more about what has happened to the DOJ and the FBI than it does about the two presidents. The agencies whether by direction from above or within have a dangerous political agenda. One could suggest that they are now operating more like the KGB than impartial legal departments. We saw an earlier example when the FBI raided the home of an aged Trump associate in the wee hours of the morning. Guilty or not this armed assault on a person no one could describe as a dangerous threat showed a dangerous precedent for the way these agencies are now operating. That episode has been forgotten by most but it exposed the serious issues, that obviously have not been corrected. The rule of law is tenuous and once broken will not easily be repaired.
I also agree with the DNI that our document control and classification system is broken and needs serious revisions.
Agree with Dr. Hanson 100%, but have a hard time accepting the statement that ol’ sleepy Joe was “elected” president. A not too bright, lying, plagiarist, hair sniffing dog in heat around women, who hid in his basement and couldn’t draw flies to his anemic campaign rallies ended up with more votes than either Obama or Hillary?
C’mon, man!