Could I get off this easy?

**Gawain of Orkeny** · 09-09-2005, 08:03

Berger to pay $50,000 for taking classified material
WASHINGTON (AP) — A judge on Thursday ordered Sandy Berger, President Clinton's national security adviser, to pay a $50,000 fine for illegally taking classified documents from the National Archives.
The punishment handed down by U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson exceeded the $10,000 fine recommended by government lawyers. Under the deal, Berger avoids prison time but he must surrender access to classified government materials for three years.

"The court finds the fine is inadequate because it doesn't reflect the seriousness of the offense," Robinson said, as a grim-faced Berger stood silently.

Earlier in the hearing, Berger expressed remorse for his crime, which he described as a lapse of judgment that came while he was preparing to testify before the Sept. 11 commission.

"I let considerations of personal convenience override clear rules of handling classified material," Berger said. "I believe this lapse, serious as it is, does not reflect the character of myself."

"In this case, I failed. I will not again," he said.

The sentencing capped a bizarre sequence of events in which Berger admitted to sneaking classified documents out of the Archives in his suit, later destroying some of them in his office and then lying about it.

After initially saying it was an "honest mistake," Berger pleaded guilty in April to a misdemeanor of unauthorized removal and retention of classified material, which contained information relating to terror threats in the United States during the 2000 millennium celebration.

A misdemeanor

**Adrian II** · 09-09-2005, 08:12

Originally Posted by Gawain of Orkeny

A misdemeanor

Weird. For the mere removal of papers he should be banned permanently from the archives, that is what happens all over the world. Depending on the nature of the papers (what were they?) he should be jailed for endangering national security, breach of what-have-you, and a couple more charges. I mean taking them home is one thing, but burning them... sounds like Nixon.

**Ronin** · 09-09-2005, 09:13

he should lose his security privileges to look at such material in the very least....

**Xiahou** · 09-09-2005, 09:30

Could I get off this easy?

Imagine if it was Karl Rove.

**Adrian II** · 09-09-2005, 09:38

Originally Posted by Xiahou

Imagine if it was Karl Rove.

Bruce Lindsey was Clinton's Rove. Berger was just another lawyer promoted for political reasons to a job for which he had no qualifications, just like Brown, Chertoff and other lawyers from the Bush campaign. Berger was obviously covering his boss' backside when he stole those files. The files had to do with counter-terrorism policy, Bin Laden and a host of other sensitive stuff. Wasn't it Berger who turned down a Sudanese offer to hand over Bin Laden in 1999? That should be investigated further. But hey, it is your country and none of my business.

Originally Posted by Washington POst

Berger's attorneys have acknowledged that he removed numerous classified memos, and apparently discarded some, as he reviewed materials on behalf of the Clinton administration for the independent commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. They said the removal of documents was inadvertent but that Berger was aware he was violating the law when he removed his handwritten notes without submitting them for review by National Archives staff.

**Seamus Fermanagh** · 09-09-2005, 14:04

Originally Posted by Gelatinous Cube

He'd be strung up by his ass-hairs, as should happen to anyone involved in espionage.

What an image. I am deeply grateful that my breakfast was well finished before reading this post.

Actually, just the thought of that makes me queasy. I think I'll be doing some very careful shaving....

Seamus

**Aenlic** · 09-09-2005, 09:39

A misdemeanor? Seems reasonable. After all Ollie North was indicted on 16 felony counts for his part in the Iran-Contra affair, was convicted of three of them - accepting an illegal gratuity, aiding and abetting in the obstruction of a congressional inquiry, and destruction of documents. His conviction was overturned on appeal because he had been granted limited immunity by Congress for his testimony. The appeals court felt that his testimony, including his admission of guilt, prejudiced his right to a fair trial. Well, yeah. He said he did it. Darn sure must've prejudiced his right to a fair trial. The Supreme Court refused to hear the case and ol' Ollie walked - scot free. Poindexter got off free and clear from his felony convictions for lying to Congress, defrauding the government, and the alteration and destruction of evidence pertaining to the Iran-Contra Affair - for the same reason, limited use immunity for testimony in front of Congress.

A misdemeanor for admitting doing less than what Ollie and the Admiral did? Why not? At least he'll be serving the sentence. Unlike some.

**Spetulhu** · 09-09-2005, 10:32

Originally Posted by Aenlic

A misdemeanor for admitting doing less than what Ollie and the Admiral did? Why not? At least he'll be serving the sentence. Unlike some.

Perhaps this one has less dirt on leading politicians than your two examples that walked?

**Aenlic** · 09-09-2005, 11:14

Heh. Might be.

**Seamus Fermanagh** · 09-09-2005, 14:07

Originally Posted by Spetulhu

Perhaps this one has less dirt on leading politicians than your two examples that walked?

Tres possible.

Ollie North was a good marine -- but I suspect he knew exactly where the bodies were buried (and may have done the interment himself). The only other chap with all the info on Iran Contra was Casey, who I suspect was quite well aware that he wouldn't face earthly justice. A well run, well insulated op.

Seamus