Just posted in WSJ a few minutes ago

mike pence who was recently pontificating about biden's classified documents debacle---can now pontificate about his own :nono:

Quote:

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WASHINGTON—Former Vice President Mike Pence’s lawyers discovered classified material at his private home, according to a letter his representative sent to the National Archives.

Lawyers hired by the former vice president recently discovered “a small number of documents bearing classified markings that were inadvertently boxed and transported” to Mr. Pence’s home, according to a Jan. 18 letter to the National Archives from Gregory Jacob, who oversees Mr. Pence’s records. Mr. Pence was unaware of the existence of the documents, the letter said.

Federal Bureau of Investigation agents collected documents from Mr. Pence’s Indiana home on Jan. 19 at the request of the Justice Department, according to a second letter from Mr. Jacob to the National Archives dated Jan. 22. Mr. Pence agreed to the transfer, the letter said.

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:nuts:

If this keeps up, and I have no reason to think it won't, we are going to have a real scandal in Washington. Anyone who has ever had possession of a classified document would be wise to search their offices and living quarters before they are searched for them.

Also, there needs to be a system to check classified documents both in and out and a chain of custody trail showing where they are at any given time.

It has been a long time (58 years!) and a lot has changed since I was involved in such things---most notably there was no internet nor email. All of our communications that could not be face to face were via encrypted teletype. They made a perforated tape of every incoming and outgoing message. If there was a need to make a copy (which wasn't done lightly) we would mark the first one as one of xxxx. The first copy was two of xxx, but that wasn't done easily. The normal distribution would be done using clip boards on the wall and every document was inventoried. There was a stamp on each document with the names of "for these eyes only", once you read it you put your initials next to your name. As soon as the printed copy on the wall was not needed they were struck from the inventory and destroyed. One copy and the tape would go into a Masterfile that had very limited access. That also got purged on a schedule.

All messages to and from the teletypes came and went through the encrypting machines that looked like the big old main frame computers. Each day at 00:00 GMT the code was changed using an IBM punch card. That card was cut in half when you closed the door. The cards came via courier monthly.

There was no copy machines of any sort in the operations enclosure.

Would it have been possible to take a classified document out of the operations area---of course---but at some point the controlled document is going to show up missing. That "some point" is a few days at most.

That sounds similar to my access to TO's (Technical Orders) marked secret...I could examine them in the storage building with a pass and my need to know...If something like a wiring diagram had to leave the building to be taken to a sick aircraft, there was definitely a chain of custody initiated...I don't remember any incidents arising from the procedure we had in place...Like you, Dave, it's been a few decades...:geezer:...Ben

Senator Tim Kane (my senator ) was on one of the Sunday morning shows.. he stated that as head of the intel committee he is required to read all classified documents in a special secure room and that no documents or copies leave the room.. at one time he thought the special room to be inconvenient, after recent findings he is glad that the procedure is in place.

When working on government networks, all documents and circuit access was in a small specific area..


IMHO.. our executive officials do not “value” classified information as we peons were trained to do.. additionally our executive officials do not pack and move paperwork.. they have toadies to handle the grunt work.. the toadies have even less concern classified information.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong..

Note: I don’t believe that Pence or Biden would intentionally mishandle classified information (but their toadies would)

I think you may be right in who might have packed the stuff up, but that doesn't dismiss what appears to be a callus disregard for classified material. I don't expect them to manage the process but I do expect it to be done by people who are properly trained.

Yeah, it may be time for the DOJ to run a check on past White House residents to ensure sensitive docs aren't still out there.

Hunter

Is there any reason not to believe that every former president and vice president should be digging right now? Bet they are. I also bet we'll probably never hear about it.