Berger Is Fined For Smuggling Classified Papers

[zendari]

Text

A federal judge yesterday ordered former national security adviser Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger to pay a $50,000 fine and give up his security clearance for three years as the penalty for smuggling classified terrorism documents out of the National Archives in 2003.

Berger, who had classified documents hand-delivered to his desk when he advised President Bill Clinton, pleaded guilty in April to unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents. He admitted to stuffing copies of documents in his coat jacket as he left the National Archives and then destroying some at his office and pretending he had never possessed them. Berger had been reviewing the records about the Clinton administration's response to reports of terrorist threats in 2000 as he was preparing to respond to questions from the commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.


It's good to know that stealing such documents and misusing your access to them does not go unpunished. :thumbsup:

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: zendari
Text

A federal judge yesterday ordered former national security adviser Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger to pay a $50,000 fine and give up his security clearance for three years as the penalty for smuggling classified terrorism documents out of the National Archives in 2003.

Berger, who had classified documents hand-delivered to his desk when he advised President Bill Clinton, pleaded guilty in April to unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents. He admitted to stuffing copies of documents in his coat jacket as he left the National Archives and then destroying some at his office and pretending he had never possessed them. Berger had been reviewing the records about the Clinton administration's response to reports of terrorist threats in 2000 as he was preparing to respond to questions from the commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.


It's good to know that stealing such documents and misusing your access to them does not go unpunished. :thumbsup:

I agree, careful controls on classified information are there for a reason. Certainly anyone who ignores those control and misuses their access deserves some sort of punishment for it.

 

[PELarson]

What a way to end a career. Hope he had some money saved above the fine because a security clearance once that part of the sentence is complete ain't a gonna happen.

 

[RightIsWrong]

Originally posted by: PELarson
What a way to end a career. Hope he had some money saved above the fine because a security clearance once that part of the sentence is complete ain't a gonna happen.

I'm sure that he did. If he doesn't....he can always "turn" Repub and get a posh commentator position on Fox like G. Gordon Libby or Ollie North.

On a serious note....he deserves everything that he gets in the way of punishment.

 

[umbrella39]

Originally posted by: RightIsWrong

Originally posted by: PELarson
What a way to end a career. Hope he had some money saved above the fine because a security clearance once that part of the sentence is complete ain't a gonna happen.

I'm sure that he did. If he doesn't....he can always "turn" Repub and get a posh commentator position on Fox like G. Gordon Libby or Ollie North.

On a serious note....he deserves everything that he gets in the way of punishment.

Good to know there is still a career path for these kinds of criminals. God bless Fox :thumbsup:

 

[DealMonkey]

Originally posted by: zendari
It's good to know that stealing such documents and misusing your access to them does not go unpunished. :thumbsup:

I agree completely. Now let's go get those leakers who outed Plame with equal zeal!

 

[zendari]

Originally posted by: DealMonkey

Originally posted by: zendari
It's good to know that stealing such documents and misusing your access to them does not go unpunished. :thumbsup:

I agree completely. Now let's go get those leakers who outed Plame with equal zeal!

If a crime was committed I fully support bringing the criminals to justice.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Berger really went 'Dumb' on trying to do this. He was NOT allowed possession any 'Original Documents', only photocopies of the originals.
So the originals were retained by the National Archeives, and he took the copies out of the viewing chamber, home to destroy,
which still left the originals intact. Dense.
Why would they even consider restoring his security clearance after the three years pass anyway ?

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: PELarson
What a way to end a career. Hope he had some money saved above the fine because a security clearance once that part of the sentence is complete ain't a gonna happen.

LOL all these guys are multi multi millionaires... Have'nt you heard of firms like Kissinger Associates, Scowcoft Group, Carlye Group, Cohen Group and in Sandys case Stonebridge? What they do is use thier "relationships" to get deals for fortune 100's in foreign lands and with governemnt with a fat profit as the deal maker. Not to mention Burger was a partner (read huge dollars) at one of the best law firms in the country before going into public life.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
Berger really went 'Dumb' on trying to do this. He was NOT allowed possession any 'Original Documents', only photocopies of the originals.
So the originals were retained by the National Archeives, and he took the copies out of the viewing chamber, home to destroy,
which still left the originals intact. Dense.
Why would they even consider restoring his security clearance after the three years pass anyway ?

That's what I was wondering. Why would he need security clearance anyway?