From Washington, Dirk Otkap
After former President Donald Trump and his successor, Joe Biden, a third former high-ranking member of the US government has faced a scandal over secret documents since yesterday. As it became known on Tuesday afternoon (local time), Trump’s vice-president’s lawyer, Mike Pence, discovered dozens of classified papers in his private home in the US state of Indiana.
Nothing is known about the content of the documents. Like Trump, Pence left the elected administration in early 2021. An investigation is under way into whether sensitive documents were improperly withheld from the National Archives beforehand.
The FBI is under investigation
Pence, who is flirting with the 2024 presidential bid and has completely fallen out with Trump, was asked in November of last year, when the Trump documents scandal, including the raid in Mar-a-Lago/Florida, made headlines, if he was, too. He has documents related to national security matters. Pence told the announcer at the time ABC On camera: “No, I haven’t.”
According to several US media reports, documents seized at Pence’s home are currently being examined by the Department of Justice and the FBI. Federal police officers picked up the papers in Indiana last week.
Private investigators for both Trump and Biden have been independently appointed to investigate potential crimes on behalf of the Justice Department.
“Food practitioner. Bacon guru. Infuriatingly humble zombie enthusiast. Total student.”
More Stories
At least 95 dead in Spain: thousands of people trapped in cars, trains and shopping centres
Will Biden become a burden on Harris in the US election campaign?
Spain: More than 60 killed in the storms