Below is a timeline of events related to the Biden documents case, based on both reporting on the documents and Garland’s remarks on Thursday. It will be updated as we learn more.
November 2: The first batch of classified documents — about 10 of them, including some marked top secret — was released by one of Biden’s private lawyers at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement in Washington, the Washington Post reported. Found after opening a locked cupboard. The Penn Biden Center is a University of Pennsylvania-affiliated think tank founded by Biden and whose offices he used after his term as vice president ended in early 2017. Garland describes it as a location that is “not authorized for the storage of classified documents.”
According to Richard Sober, Biden’s special counsel, the documents have been immediately turned over to the National Archives. Sober said the documents “were not the subject of any prior request or inquiry” by the National Archives and Records Administration — unlike the classified material found at Mar-a-Lago.
November 4: Inspector General of Archives, who holds the presidential record, According to Garland, a Justice Department prosecutor was contacted to say that the White House had disclosed that it had found classified documents at the Penn Biden Center.
November 9: Garland said the FBI begins an evaluation to determine if any laws were broken.
November 14: Garland assigned Illinois U.S. Attorney John R. Loesch Jr., who Trump nominated for the job in 2017, to conduct a preliminary investigation to help Garland determine whether a special prosecutor is warranted. is given
December 20: Saber informed Lausch that, according to Garland, additional documents marked as classified had been found in the garage of Biden’s residence in Wilmington, Del., and that the FBI was storing those documents. According to President’s personal lawyerThe president’s lawyers stopped the search after identifying the documents.
January 5: Lausch informed Garland of the investigation and recommended the appointment of a special counsel. Garland agrees.
Days after January 5: According to Garland, the Justice Department has identified Robert Har as a potential special counsel. Hoar is a former U.S. attorney in Maryland who was nominated by Trump for the job in 2018.
January 9: CBS News reported on the discovery of the documents in November, bringing the matter to light for the first time. The White House later confirmed that the Justice Department had opened an inquiry and said it was cooperating with both the department and the National Archives. While confirming the inquiry, the White House did not disclose the set of documents it received on December 20.
January 11: According to one A statement was later released. Through the president’s personal lawyer, Bob Bauer, Biden’s lawyers searched his Wilmington residence and found “a possible document marked classified” in a room next to the garage. They then stopped searching the place, as they did not have proper security clearance. They also searched Biden’s residence in Rehoboth Beach, Del., but found no such records.
January 12 (morning): Sauber released a statement confirming the discovery of classified material at Wilmington. According to Bauer’s statement, Biden’s lawyers informed Lausch about the additional document.
January 12 (afternoon): At a news briefing, Garland announced Hur’s appointment as special counsel. During his remarks, he said Biden’s lawyers had disclosed to the Justice Department that morning that an additional document had been identified from the Wilmington home.
January 12 (evening): According to a statement released on Saturday, Sauber received five additional pages of classified documents. Saber said he was called after the discovery of the document that morning because he has a security clearance.
January 14: Biden’s team disclosed additional pages found on January 12. Saber said in his statement, “When I was transferring. [the initial document] DOJ officials accompanying me discovered five additional pages of classified material in the accompanying material, for a total of six pages. DOJ officials with me immediately took them into their possession. Also Biden’s personal attorney, Bob Bauer Releases a timeline. In an effort to emphasize the team’s cooperation in the matter, Aur says that the team is not sure if all the relevant documents have been found.
January 19: Biden says he has “no regrets” about how the White House handled the disclosure of the documents.
January 20: Justice Department officials are searching Biden’s home in Wilmington. According to Bauer, the search took 13 hours and covered “all working, living and storage areas” in the house. The Justice Department seized six items, including “documents with classification markings and surrounding material.” It also includes handwritten notes from Biden’s time as vice president for further review.
January 21: Biden’s attorneys released a statement disclosing the Jan. 20 search.
February 1: The Justice Department searched Biden’s home in Rehoboth Beach. Bauer described the search as “planned” and conducted with Biden’s “full cooperation and cooperation.” Bauer said in a statement that no classified documents were found, but the department took some materials and handwritten notes from Biden’s time as vice president, “according to the process in Wilmington.”
This story has been updated.
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