>

What the crap is going on? Classified documents are just walking out the door with exiting leaders? Did pence at least give them back?
Tell me again about Biden having classified docs and how he totally hasn't fully cooperated with the proper authorities. >

But but hunter biden's laptop?! >

Oh shit! I forgot about the laptop. It's full of buttery males dicks. >

That a blind repairman man found! >

Direct link to the clip, which has aged like milk >

The head nod after “I did not” >

Conflicting body language like (nodding yes while saying no/vise versa) this is a pretty big sign someone is lying. >

Tells like that are wrong as often as they are right. >

Yeah, looking for one little thing like that is usually problematic. What's actually telling in that clip is how much he fidgets and seems uncomfortable when he's usually robotic. Deviating from normal behaviors is the most reliable tell. >

See, I saw the head nod first and thought “huh”…
Then I saw that he was getting fidgety, and his foot was tapping quite a bit. Then I started to give that original “huh” a little more thought… >

You can see the same thing when MTG was questioned about 1/6 and her duties as a congresswoman if you're interested. >

I think the key takeaway here is there needs to be better accounting for these documents. Better documentation of who has what, thorough searches as a matter of course, active retention. Clearly what is in place isn’t working, and at this point they should be searching the properties of anyone that had access to high-level classified information just as a matter of diligence. Even if the government has a tendency to over-classify, there should be no exceptions, otherwise what’s the point? >


Even if the government has a tendency to over-classify, there should be no exceptions, otherwise what’s the point?

Exactly. Clearly classification is not being treated as seriously as it should be by ANYONE. There's another issue about intent and lying and such, but it is another issue different from mishandling classified materials. >

If Barack Obama doesn’t have a team of lawyers searching EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE right this minute, he should start. >

Yup. Hell, extend it as far as it can go. Lets see what Cheney is sitting on too. >

FBI raid on Jimmy Carter is up next >

Colbert had a great joke last night. Basically he said "At this point we need to be searching everyone. Clearly people have been just hoarding classified material when leaving office with reckless abandon. I saw we look at Jimmy Carter next, I know what he's been doing building all those houses!"
And then it cuts to Jimmy Carter insulating the walls of habitat for humanity houses with classified documents. >

Seth Myers joke, no? Maybe both >

Was definitely in Colbert's monologue last night. Maybe both though. >

Just watched Colbert’s monologue, you are correct (obvi). Seth Myer’s joke is a little different but same premise. >

Pence is wet garbage, but given that this was a self-report situation similar to Biden, there's probably some doubt benefit in this one case. Until given reason to believe otherwise the takeaway here is probably that the lower level of classified documents aren't moved around as securely as we think and they can get lost in the shuffle.
Comparing this, Biden's situation, and Trump's, the big deal seems to be the obstruction and deflection, which only seems to be coming from Trump. I guess we'll see how it plays out and maybe Pence is doing more than he's letting on here but this might've been closer to being wrong than being a liar, for once. >

I feel like this is the most likely scenario.  Pence is a trash human and his political views are fucked, but I don't think he's the, steal government secrets for nefarious means, type. >

Yes, while Trump clearly did knew he had classified docs and wanted to keep them, and the right is predictably invested in making the Biden situation appear equally nefarious, Pence, for all his many faults, is a rock solid candidate for someone neither side genuinely believes would do this deliberately. >

I hope Pence never touches power again, but I don’t feel this was nefarious. I’m sure that Cheney, Bush and Obama will all get swept soon and stuff will be found. >

What sucks is how little the voting public sees nuance. Like, Pence lied about them. Trump lied about them, said they were his to keep, tried to block giving them back, was an all around clown about it. Biden went public with them and has been very helpful the whole time. 
​
But the swing voters are all going to be like "ItS aLl ThE sAmE ThInG!" >

The fact that they retained classified documents wrongly is the same. The fact that Biden has not been duplicitous about it is not the same.
Mishandling classified documents is one issue. Lying about it or self-reporting is another. Reporting it and giving back the documents does not absolve you of the original crime, it just means you didn't commit an additional crime of covering it up.
We either take classification even remotely seriously, or it means nothing. It sure looks like we've decided it means nothing, and now only lying about it matters. I despise Trump and Pence and Republicans in general, but I'm not going to pretend to believe that classification should be meaningless if you say oopsie and give them back.
Trump, Pence, and Biden all mishandled classified documents in an egregious manner and that should be investigated and dealt with. Trump and Pence also attempted to lie and retain documents and/or perjured themselves about them. That should also be investigated and dealt with, and is significantly more serious. >

But what is the level of danger of these documents? There’s a lot of speculation that these documents might be things like daily schedules that SHOULD be classified when they’re relevant (as knowing a politician’s schedule is a great way to encourage violence against them), but not on the same level as nuclear secrets or intel that won’t change in importance/danger as time passes. 
One thing they might want to put in place is a declassification of documents that don’t need to be classified after a certain amount of time has passed, like schedules, certain briefings, and things that are equally easy to overlook but don’t actually currently have any bearing on national security. 
I’m also all for government officials, when leaving office, having FBI/secret service/what have you do sweeps for documents like this because politicians are human. I don’t much care for Mike Pence but I doubt he’s going to be the last. Clearly how we’re doing things needs modified. >


They do have that, I believe. I think low level classified documents are automatically declassified after 25 years. I believe I heard that on Pod Save America earlier.

I think a good idea would be to have these lower level documents, like schedules or communications with other world leaders that don't contain sensitive information, automatically declassify at the end of the Presidents term. >

Sounds like a decent idea. But we don't apply laws that don't exist to people. These people broke a law that does exist. >

Oh I agree 100%, I'm just spitballing some ideas for future reform >

I actually don't think he did take anything, at least not intentionally. As much as I dislike him, he does seem to be a 'by the book' kind of person. And I don't think President Biden did either. It's going to turn out that both either didn't know it was classified, or an aide was responsible for unknowingly packing things that shouldn't have been packed into file boxes. 
King Maralago on the other hand knew exactly what he had and absconded with it intentionally. Then lied about it. Then wouldn't allow a search until the FBI showed up at his doorstep. And even then he whined. >

When does Hillary get an apology? >

Republicans will give Americans universal health care before they apologise to a woman. >

I hate playing the part of devils advocate, but here it is.
Perhaps he was telling the truth and didn't know about the smaller items. Both can be true. >

Conservatives do not understand that there is a serious difference. 
Your idols are basically telling you that they didn't take anything and when they're caught are saying that it wasn't illegal.
Biden was caught, his staff admitted they didn't know they had them, and immediately handed everything over per the protocol.
Both sides are not the same. >

Al gore is just rifling through boxes at his home, desperately hoping to find classified documents and a chance to be relevant again. >

"FOUND SOME! No, wait, that's the classifieds section of the newspaper. Dang it" >

An article about the early days of the internet, designed by Al Gore. >

I would love to be a fly on a head for this one. >

This entire document psyop that has been playing out is doing great at revealing the country's widespread political hypocrisy.
I'm the only person in the country that like yup let's punish absolutely everyone with improper classified documents to the fullest possible extent of the law. >

Perhaps Trump made a big deal of the FBI taking shit out of his facility because he knew damn well that there would be others. >

Oops. I expect nothing less than complete cooperation from Pence and looking eagerly for righteous outrage from the GOP >

Now do Giuliani!! >

OK shit I'll admit it.....I don't know how but I ALSO have top secret, classified boxes from the White House in MY basement! >

Hush. Just get out the shredder and no one will know. >

Its entirely possible Pence didnt know he had them just like Biden. >

Very possible. He did the right thing by contacting the DOJ and turning them in unlike another orange person we know. >

Correct >

So I expect we will be seeing another Special Prosecutor appointment, eh Garland? >

Maybe he should consolidate the cases. Have a Documents Czar. >

So is this a setup? >

"This is exactly like Biden".
Some fools who loves to both sides everything. >

He's going to Santos this. "I said I didn't take them from the WHITE HOUSE. I took them from my other office." >

So my local library can track me down for a late book but our government agencies can not keep track of classified document huh >

I just found tiny pieces of classified documents on the floor,  when my  cat vomit a hairball. 
I taped them back together, 
Documents,
Said 
Need 
More 
Cat 
Nip >

Trump gave Pence a bag to hold on to and Pence did it without question.  This is the result.
^^^/s ^^^in ^^^case ^^^anyone ^^^is ^^^confused. >

What’s up with his skin tone in that photo. Looks like he’s about to turn into the Hulk. >

Look, I get that this guy sucks, but neither this nor the Biden stuff should be news.  The whole reason we have processes in place for shit like this is because sometimes this stuff happens.  Sometimes documents end up forgotten.  When you find them you call the correct authorities and they come get them.  
In every case except one, that happened.  That one case is the newsworthy bit.  Willful retention is actually a crime.  
Of course Pence (and probably Biden) said they didn't take documents.  Because they thought everything was turned in. Neither case seems intentional.  Only the trump case seems intentional. >

That pathological liar/psychotic press secretary who still believes Trump’s lies - Kayleigh McEnany…why hasn’t her house been raided & ransacked? Wherever Trump went, she went. 
I’d bet money she was paid very handsomely to hide boxes at her Florida home that are stuffed with classified documents. >

All Republicans lie just like cruelty and sadism are fundamental parts of their DNA. >

That’s not very Christian of him. >

that doesn't mean shit. you could have him on video doing it and it'll mean nothing. wait.