NewMexiKen doesn’t know Sandy Berger, the Clinton national security advisor accused of removing copies of classified documents from the National Archives. I certainly don’t know what he actually did or—least of all—why he did it. But let me suggest something.
Let’s put together a team and make spot inspections of private document collections of a few high-level national security political appointees from each of the last several administrations. You know, drop by their home or office and just browse through the files. Any one care to wager we won’t find that most or all of them have classified documents in their possession?
Why do they do this? Because they can. Because they are arrogant and think they are above the law. Because they feel they will protect the documents well enough. Because the bureaucrats charged with securing classified documents won’t always check or challenge what appointees remove when they leave.
It happens all the time.
Berger, if guilty, was just more obvious than most.