According to a CBS News report, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) searched the Penn Biden Center offices in mid-November after President Joe Biden’s lawyers located classified documents there earlier in the month.
Two sources told the news organization it needed to be clarified if FBI agents found additional presidential or classified material during the sweep, which was done in cooperation with the President’s representatives.
The FBI did not seek a search warrant before it searched.
The search by the FBI of the President’s office at Penn Biden Center hadn’t been previously disclosed by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the White House, or President Biden’s attorneys.
When the bureau conducted a consensual search of the President’s home on January 20, Bob Bauer, Biden’s personal attorney, and the White House announced the move the next day.
In January, CBS reported that Attorney General Merrick Garland had assigned the United States attorney in Chicago to review around ten classified documents found on November 2 at the Penn Biden Center.
Some of the documents that were found at the Washington, D.C., think tank were labeled ‘top secret’ according to CBS News.
Although the documents were discovered before the November midterm elections, the President’s administration didn’t acknowledge the finding publicly until the special counsel to the President, Richard Sauber, confirmed it to CBS News for a report on January 10.
Classified documents were later found at the President’s Wilmington, Delaware home.
AG Merrick Garland assigned a special counsel to the case
On January 12, Garland assigned a special counsel to the case, including documents from President Biden’s time serving as a senator and his tenure as vice president during the Obama administration.
Thus far, federal authorities have recovered between 25 and 30 documents marked classified from Biden’s home and the think tank, reported CBS.
Monday, the Department of Justice refused to provide the House Judiciary Committee with any further details about the investigation by the special counsel into the mishandling of classified documents.
The DOJ claimed that providing further details would risk releasing critical case information.
Frustrated Senate Intelligence Committee members vowed last week to pursue all avenues to access the classified documents located at the homes of former President Donald Trump and Biden.
Following Wednesday’s briefing with National Intelligence Director Avril Haines, Democrat Chairman Mark Warner of Virginia said “all things will be on the table” to guarantee the committee conducts its constitutional oversight responsibility, according to a report by CNN.
Classified documents have also been located at the Indiana home of former Vice President Mike Pence.
