Would Biden Object to a Search of His 1,850 Boxes of Senate Records? Jean-Pierre: 'Refer You to the White House Counsel' (January 24, 2023)

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, wanted a search of President Joe Biden’s old Senate papers, and a reporter asked the White House whether Biden would object. “He’s calling for a search of President Biden’s Senate records at the University of Delaware for potentially classified information. Those records reportedly include about 1,850 boxes of documents, as well as 415 gigabytes of electronic files. Does President Biden have any objection to such a search?” [1]

“When it comes to the documents and this ongoing legal matter, I refer you to the White House Counsel’s Office,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said [1].

The reporter kept going. “I’d just like to read —” Jean-Pierre laughed. “You said you had two. You’ve had four,” she said [1].

“I’d just like to read out the request of our colleagues in this room for someone to answer these questions from the podium,” the reporter said. “Absolutely. Okay. Go ahead,” Jean-Pierre answered, and moved on [1].

The video above shows the exchange at the Jan. 24, 2023, briefing. Quotes are from the official transcript published by the American Presidency Project [1].

”Refer You to the White House Counsel’s Office”

It was the answer of the day. In the briefing, Jean-Pierre told reporters she would “refer you to” the White House Counsel 13 times, according to the transcript [1].

“Following up from yesterday, has the President invited the Justice Department to search his Rehoboth Beach house?” another reporter asked. “Again, I would refer you to the White House Counsel’s Office, who have been regularly in touch with all of you answering these questions, about — about this legal ongoing matter. I just don’t have anything to share,” she said [1].

Asked about Biden’s trip to Wilmington, a reporter said: “After a Special Counsel was named but before the FBI searched, President Biden went to his house in Wilmington. What was he doing in there?” “I would refer you to the White House Counsel,” Jean-Pierre said. “So, it was something relating to this case?” the reporter asked. “I would refer you to the White House Counsel’s Office,” she said again [1].

”Why Did You Not Talk About It for Two Months?”

Former Vice President Mike Pence had just announced that classified documents were found in his possession, and a reporter noted that “Pence team seems to have done in the last week is make public disclosure of the circumstance. They advised NARA but also advised Congress and now the public.” [1]

“Steve, I understand your question, and I hear it. We’ve had — we’ve answered your question in many different variations,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

“Why did you not talk about it for two months?” the reporter asked. “Go ahead,” Jean-Pierre said, calling on someone else [1].

”Not Going to Comment From Here”

A reporter asked whether Pence should face a special counsel, as Biden did. “Does the White House believe that the Justice Department should appoint a Special Counsel to investigate former Vice President Pence’s handling of classified documents?” “That’s for the Department of Justice to decide,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

“And now that we’re seeing the two most recent Vice Presidents discover classified documents in their private homes, does this suggest that there’s a larger problem within the government where classified documents are not where they’re supposed to be?” the reporter asked. “I’m not going to comment from — from here on that,” she said [1].

Another reporter asked whether the Pence discovery would change things for Biden. “Is there any sense inside the White House that this perhaps shifts the political or public perception dynamics of what the President has been facing over the course of the last several weeks?” “I’m just not going to comment from here,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

On whether the Secret Service should hand over records of visitors to Biden’s Wilmington home, as House Oversight Chairman James Comer had asked: “Again, I would refer you to the White House Counsel’s Office on any — anything that’s related to the investigation,” she said [1].

By the Numbers

• 1,850: boxes of Biden’s Senate records at the University of Delaware, per the reporter [1].
• 415: gigabytes of electronic files in those records [1].
• 13: times Jean-Pierre referred reporters to the White House Counsel [1].
• 3.5 hours: the FBI’s search of the Rehoboth Beach house eight days later [2].
• 25 to 30: documents with classified markings recovered from Biden by then, per Fox News [2].

What Happened Next

The FBI searched Rehoboth. On Feb. 1, 2023, “FBI agents searched President Biden’s vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Wednesday for three-and-a-half hours but did not find additional classified documents, the president’s attorney Bob Bauer said,” Fox News reported. “There was no warrant.” [2]

“So far, between 25 and 30 documents with classified markings have been recovered from Biden’s possession and turned over to the National Archives and the Justice Department,” Fox reported [2].

No charges. In February 2024, Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report said, “We conclude that no criminal charges are warranted in this matter,” Fox News reported [3]. For more on the report, and for Biden’s “no regrets” answer five days before this briefing, see HYGO News’ page on Aptos, California. For the briefing the day before, see the page on Jan. 23, 2023.

Sources

1. The American Presidency Project: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre (January 24, 2023)
2. Fox News: DOJ searches Biden Delaware beach home amid classified document investigation (February 1, 2023)
3. Fox News: Special Counsel calls Biden ‘sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,’ brings no charges (February 8, 2024)