Why didn't Berger leak news himself?

[shockingelk]

He knows how Washington works - news of the investigation would be leaked, and that it didn't come out right away only meant it was being "saved up". I find the situation intriguing, which I suppose is the intended effect, but why he or someone else didn't leak it earlier can only be explained in a few ways ...

a. He didn't know he was being investigated

b. Events are playing out exactly as planned and will lead to the declassification of the August 7th PDB which lists the names, flight and seat numbers of the 9/11 hijackers.

c. There really is nothing to the allegations and what he did didn't even approach illegality

d. He really thought the story would stay under wraps forever

e. He did leak it, with a possible combination of a-c.

[JI7]

1. the fact is that there isn't really anything to it

it really was just a mistake at it's worst. it's something that most people probably would have thought nothing of. it's not as if he is very defensive about it. or tried to do anything to cover it up. he admits he made a mistake. i just don't think he thought much would be made of it and it probably wouldn't have if not for republicans wanting to make something out of nothing to distract from the true crimes of the bush administration.

[shockingelk]

3. What, if anything, is missing and what it implies

Berger stated that he didn't return "a few" documents, "When I was informed by the archives that there were documents missing, I immediately returned everything I had, except for a few documents that I apparently had accidentally discarded." (LA Times). I assume when he said "documents" he wasn't referring to his handwritten notes.

An anonymous 9/11 Commission panel member says Berger didn't have access to anything there weren't copies of,
''None of our work is affected in any way," said the panel member, who spoke on condition of anonymity. ''We have many copies of it. He did not have access to anything that wasn't in duplicate. It can't have been to deprive us of information." (Boston Globe)

But there are reports archive staff report one document still missing,
Archives officials have also told investigators that one document is still missing -- an analysis of the effectiveness of counterterrorism efforts against threats tied to the turn of the Millennium. (CNN)

So Berger says there are "a few" documents he discarded, a 9/11 commission member says they have copies of everything Berger saw, yet the archives say a document is missing.

The only way all three of the reports cited above can be true is if Berger took documents not related to the 9/11 Commission's work. Does this archive hold any Bush I or II documents? What could be in there worth stealing with the intention of being caught?

This thing is obviously being played up by someone for some reason. And Think about how hard it is to get the media to report on Bush scandals.

Then again, Berger may have just made a sloppy, stupid mistake for no good reason. And if he casually lost documents with the highest level of classification, he deserves to be in trouble.

[Blue Wally]

6. You don't........

"accidently discard" classified documents. I have been through a few investigations where a classfied document was missing, and they are not fun. Berger worked in a classified environment long enough to understand those things. Unfortunately, this story is serious and will have to play out to its fullest extent. Hopefully, there will be no bearing on the election.

[shockingelk]

12. Care to formulate a hypothesis?

You're suggesting Berger intentionally did something - what type of thing could that be?

[Blue Wally]

13. Not sure........

There might have been something in there personally embarrassing to himself, to one of his colleagues, to Pres Clinton, or to some foreign dignitary. In other words, there might be some truth to this story. The question is as to whether or not it has legs.

[shockingelk]

19. Wouldn't it be just as likely it would be damaging to Bushco?

I mean, the only scandal damaging to Bush that got legs has been the prisoner torture - and that only because there were photos.

It seems as or more likely he would take such a risk to expose the administration as to save someone from embarrassment. And it seems extremely unlikely Republicans would not have found it and made a billion copies if it was something damaging enough for Berger to take such a risk.

And would he take out handwritten notes if he knew he was also taking out something and didn't want to get caught?

There is enough mystery to this so it seems there's something more. If Berger was just plain dumb, it could explain things somewhat ... could he really be that recklessly stupid?

[Blue Wally]

21. Too much spin and counterspin

Some say he is a hopelessly disorganized person and that this is natural for him. RW talk radio is spinning it as something sinister. Something is going on here, and i am not sure what it is. I do know that you do not just walk out of a classified depository without any checks.

[dennis4868]

15. But obviously....

Berger did not have the intent to steal these documents...whenever there is one document, there are always many coies all over the place...like there was in this case....Stealing and discarding a document from the archives will not remove that document from existence because there are always extra copies...everyone knows that....Berger was most likely sloppy...Clinton said yesterday that Berger was known for keeping a sloppy office....Clinton said there is nothing to this story...I believe Clinton over the so-called liberal media any day!

[shockingelk]

22. so, if there are multiple copies

a. Berger made an astoundingly sloppy mistake
b. He was making a futile effort trying to protect someone (there were copies)
c. He wanted a copy of something he felt was important (because people should see it? Because he wanted to be certain to prove something?)

[bearfartinthewoods]

10. WOW...you know the facts eh???

"the fact is that there isn't really anything to it"

can you share where you got this knowledge? is it a fact that our former cheif NSA guy is sloppy with top secrets? is that the fact?


he knew about this. he should have warned Kerry. if he did, Kerry should have distanced him, right away. this connection to the campaign could have been minimized. dumb dumb dumb

[KittyWampus]

11. Top Secrets? LOL

just because they were classified doesn't mean they were "top secrets".

Cheney's energy task force meeting papers, for instance.

[Tellurian]

18. You're absolutely right..

However, the larger target IS Kerry..

It seems the "R"s have gone into damage control mode. They knew about Berger, and being the good opportunists they are, parlayed Berger and Wilson together as scurrilous politicos.

[displacedtexan]

2. He was researching his own work.

Which had been classified as SUPER SECRET, even though it was a report about a Clinton admin success in fighting terror.

Taking his note only breached ARCHIVE RULES, NOT THE LAW.

Accidentally taking a copy f a redacted copy of something he had been in charge of creating in the first place is a misdemeanor... if anyone could ever prove malice aforethought... which they know they can't.

The timing is pure Rove.

Did you see the Repukes all lined up at the microphones, eager to ruin Berger's reputation?

Sickening!

[shockingelk]

4. About the "Socks" story evolution

The oldest result on news.google.com is Rush Limbaugh: "Tom Daschle agrees with people stuffing classified information into their pants and socks and walking off with it" http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_072004/content/truth_detector_6.guest.html

Then Bob Franken on CNN says "Two law enforcement officials have told CNN chief Justice Department correspondent Kelli Arena that Berger was spotted stuffing some of the documents into his socks." http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0407/20/lt.02.html

Then NewsMax adds a third source to the CNN report: Reports CNN's Bob Franken: "Three law enforcement sources talking to CNN's Justice Department correspondent Kelli Arena they saw him, or that he had been seen, putting documents in his socks." http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/7/21/04858.shtml

Now it's morphed into that Berger himself stated he stuffed documents into his underwear: "Mr. Berger (by his own admission) took several highly classified documents and shoved them in his jacket, his socks, and--yes--his underpants." http://www.chronwatch.com/content/contentDisplay.asp?aid=8570

[ClintonTyree]

5. And people.............

just don't believe that the right wing lie machine is humming away 24/7. They refuse to believe that in our country, they would be lied to by the very government that has taken an oath to serve and protect them.
The American people are sheep being led to slaughter. The Republicans are the most dishonest, outrightly evil organization since Hitler's reign of terror.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. The reich wing is dangerous

they view the Dems as the enemy that must be destroyed and will do anything to do that. The fact that Berger's mistake has been known for months and only came out now is because of Rove. He wants to steal thunder away from whatever the 911 Commission will bring out tomorrow.

[shockingelk]

8. I see it more as trying to keep their base

This will provide "Bush can do no wrong" people a reason to disbelieve the Commission's findings. The WP reported that it cites six times under Bush the 9/11 plot may have been unravelled (and four under Clinton).

[shockingelk]

20. I wouldn't put it past Ashcroft

He's so smug, I could see him keeping it as a "surprise" for everyone. Maybe he wants a big Christmas bonus.

I don't think there's enough info out there for anyone to guess at what's actually happening.

[shockingelk]

9. Now FOX is saying

"Berger and his lawyer said Monday night he knowingly removed the handwritten notes by placing them in his jacket, pants and socks, and also inadvertently took copies of actual classified documents in a leather portfolio." http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,126249,00.html

[warrior1]

14. because it

was illegal to leak this case. The leakers broke the law.

[Redhead488]

16. It was? How do you come by that conclusion?

[gatorboy]

17. This story is such complete horsesh*t!!

Especially when you consider all of the information Bush likes to keep secret on him and his cronies and nobody bats an eye....