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07/19/2004: "Sandy Berger, Thief"

The gall is amazing. Wretchard quotes an AP report that reports that Sandy Berger "[removed] highly classified terrorism documents ... from a secure reading room..." "Berger and his lawyer said Monday night he knowingly removed handwritten notes he had made while reading classified anti-terror documents at the archives by sticking them in his jacket and pants."

And from the New York Times (registration required):

Berger is the second high-level Clinton-era official to face controversy over taking classified information home. Former CIA Director John Deutch was pardoned by Clinton just hours before Clinton left office in 2001 for taking home classified information and keeping it on unsecured computers at his home during his time at the CIA and Pentagon. Deutch was about to enter into a plea agreement for a misdemeanor charge of mishandling government secrets when the pardon was granted

I maintain that one of the fundamental requirements of good government is honest government. Here is another example of a Clinton appointee practicing decidedly unclean practices. Criminy, he stuck the documents in his pants. This is not a case where he just doesn't get it. It's a case where he gets it, and he is dirty.

At least President Clinton cannot abuse executive privilege on Sandy Berger's behalf. I wonder if The Clintons ever got President Bush's secret FBI files?