Mishandled Classified Documents Scandal Plague Biden, Trump, Pence

The Biden White House continues to work to limit the political and legal fallout from classified documents dating from his time as vice president found at the Penn Biden Center as well as his personal residence.

Biden’s lawyers first alerted the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) on November 2, 2022, of classified documents found at the Penn Biden Center. NARA alerted the Department of Justice (DOJ), which began investigating the handling of the documents. CBS News reported on January 31 that the FBI searched the Penn Biden center in mid-November 2022, something the White House has not yet revealed.

On January 9, the White House revealed the released information about the document situation while trying to draw differences between Biden’s case and former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents after his presidency. Trump’s Florida residence Mar-a-Lago was raided by the FBI on August 8, 2022, and Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel into Trump’s case on November 18.

Garland would do the same in Biden’s case on January 12.

More documents were reported found in Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware residence on January 11. The FBI later conducted a voluntary search of his residence, finding additional documents.

On January 24, NARA revealed that former Vice President Mike Pence also retained classified documents at his Indiana home, leading to speculation that such mishandling of documents may be widespread among high-ranking government officials.

 

Memphis Deals With Aftermath of Tyre Nichols’ Death

The city of Memphis continues to work to contain the fallout following the beating death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols earlier this month. Nichols was killed by five police officers, who alleged that Nichols had been engaging in reckless driving. All five officers have been charged with murder, along with other crimes, for their involvement. Nichols and the five charged officers are all black.

The Memphis Police Department (MPD) has also removed two other officers, one of whom has been named. Neither officer has yet been charged criminally.

The five charged officers belonged to MPD’s SCORPION Unit, an anti-gang unit charged with reducing crime in high-crime areas of the city. The city police department has announced that unit will be disbanded, and investigations into the unit’s culture and methods are likely.

Nichols’ death has led to protests over police brutality, similar to the summer of 2020 demonstrations following the death of George Floyd. Violence and looting, while occurring at or following some demonstrations, has been far more subdued than in 2020.

 

Ice Storms Sweep Across the US

At least 1,800 flights were cancelled as winter storms swept across the US on Tuesday. Icy conditions were responsible for numerous car crashes on roads in Texas, with 7,000 power outages reported across the state.

In Arkansas, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) declared a state of emergency as motorists in the state struggled with icy road conditions as well.

Icy road conditions from the storm are expected to affect several states into Thursday.