Former President Trump has been indicted for among other things possessing classified documents after his presidency was complete. By all accounts these documents were stored in less than the most secure locations including a ballroom, a bathroom and a storage room next to a guitar. It is debatable if a sitting president can be indicted. What is not debatable is that President Joe Biden was in possession of classified documents from his time as vice-president and somehow as a senator. These documents were also found in several less than secure locations including in a garage next to his Corvette. Former Vice President Mike Pence, though cleared in a criminal investigation, was also found to have classified documents in his Indiana home. Former President Bill Clinton was unsuccessfully sued over audio recordings about his presidency which were in his sock drawer.

There will be plenty of politicking over the respective impropriety of these actions and the appropriateness of criminal and civil actions taken related to them. As political actors seem to all be trying to point blame at opponents or reduce the fallout for their preferred candidates, no one is addressing the very serious underlying problem.

It is clear that presidents and vice presidents of both parties have great difficulty in segregating and securing classified documents at the end of their term of service. This is unsurprising as executive leaders often work right through the tape of their successor taking office on many issues including national security. Should not the Republican House and Democrat Senate work together to pass legislation to give these elected officials, who most agree have no nefarious intent, get the support they need in the immediate aftermath of the transition, to securely store and have appropriate assistance in sorting these papers to secure classified documents? Let’s solve the problem.

Isaac Mass

Former Greenfield town councilor, Republican State Committeeman and 2008 RNC Platform Committee member

]]>