Unprecedented Investigation of Current and Former US Presidents by Prosecutors Amid Crisis

Classified Documents Found Again at Biden's Residence
Trump Also Investigated for Same Allegations

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo Yoo-jin] As the special prosecutor's investigation into the allegations of removal of classified documents during Joe Biden's tenure as vice president has begun, controversy is escalating with the discovery of classified documents once again. Former President Donald Trump is also under investigation by prosecutors for allegations of removing classified documents, creating an unprecedented situation where both former and current U.S. presidents are simultaneously under special prosecutor investigations. With Republicans calling for both former and current presidents to be investigated on the same level, legal battles are expected to intensify further.

According to the Washington Post (WP) and others on the 14th (local time), the White House announced that additional classified documents were found at President Biden's Delaware residence from his vice presidential period. Richard Sauber, President Biden's White House attorney, stated that five additional pages of documents marked classified were discovered on the 12th at Biden's residence in Wilmington, Delaware, and were immediately handed over to the Department of Justice. This was a voluntary disclosure by Biden's side to show cooperation with the DOJ's investigation by finding and revealing additional classified documents.

Attorney Sauber explained that he found the additional documents while visiting the Wilmington residence to assist in handing over the classified documents previously found there to the DOJ. He said, "During the process of handing over the documents to DOJ officials who accompanied me, I discovered five additional pages marked classified, which DOJ staff immediately took." So far, a total of six pages of classified documents have been found at the residence.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Earlier, on November 2nd last year, six days before the U.S. midterm elections, classified documents were found in President Biden's personal office but were not disclosed externally until a media report revealed them belatedly on the 9th. Following this, additional classified documents were found at Biden's Delaware residence, spreading the controversy further.

According to CNN reports, the documents found in Biden's personal office reportedly included intelligence materials from U.S. intelligence agencies concerning Ukraine and Iran. The Republican Party suspects whether Hunter Biden, Biden's second son who was recruited as an executive at a Ukrainian energy company during Biden's vice presidency, had access to these documents. Previously, documents leaked by former President Trump also contained overseas intelligence content, leading to reports that the FBI was investigating possible violations of the Espionage Act.

As the fallout grew with the discovery of classified documents at Biden's residence, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Korean-American attorney Robert Hur, a former senior DOJ official and former U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, as special prosecutor on the 12th to lead the investigation.

Attorney Sauber said, "We have publicly disclosed specific details of the identified documents, including their locations," and added, "The White House will cooperate with the special prosecutor." Bob Bauer, Biden's personal attorney, also issued a statement saying Biden has directed full cooperation with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and the Department of Justice.

The documents alleged to have been leaked by former President Trump number over 100, with the FBI leading investigations including a search of his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, before Special Prosecutor Jack Smith took over the case.

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy stated that Congress should also conduct investigations, and the Republican-controlled House began its own inquiry the previous day into whether the DOJ is conducting a "lenient investigation" regarding President Biden. The Republicans are calling for a thorough investigation into the removal incident surrounding President Biden.

In response to the Republican offensive, the Democratic Party argues that President Biden was unaware of the document leaks, voluntarily reported the discovery to authorities immediately, and is actively cooperating with the investigation, contrasting this with former President Trump's refusal to submit documents and cooperate with investigations, emphasizing the difference in nature between the two cases.