Blinken Says Surprised Classified Documents Were Taken To Penn-Biden Center At Time

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th January, 2023) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters that he was surprised to find out that some classified documents were taken to the Penn-Biden center, adding that he had no knowledge about the fact at that time.

"I was surprised to learn that there were any government records taken to the Penn-Biden center. I had no knowledge of it at the time. The White House, of course, has indicated that the administration is cooperating fully with the review that the Justice Department has taken and I, of course, would cooperate fully with that review myself," Blinken said on Tuesday.

The US top diplomat added that he was not aware of any reason why any of the documents were taken to the Penn-Biden center.

On January 9, US media reported that the President's personal attorneys discovered the first batch of 10 classified documents pertaining to Ukraine, Iran, and the United Kingdom at a Biden think-tank office, prompting a Federal probe into the matter.

A second batch of classified documents was discovered in the garage of the Biden residence in Wilmington, Delaware, while another one-page document was found in an adjacent room.

The US Department of Justice is investigating how classified documents related to the period of Biden's vice presidency ended up in office and residential premises not authorized for their storage.

The president's lawyers have promised full cooperation with the investigation, expressing confidence that it will establish the unintentional nature of what happened.