posted on September 8, 2005 02:13:22 PM
Too little & too late.
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Judge orders no prison for Berger
$50,000 fine for stealing classified documents
A judge today ordered Sandy Berger, President Clinton's national security adviser, to pay a $50,000 fine for stealing classified documents from the National Archives.
Berger avoids prison time under the punishment handed down by U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson.
In addition to the fine, which exceeded the $10,000 recommended by government lawyers, he must give up 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 Berger stood before her.
During the hearing, Berger described his crime as a lapse of judgment as he prepared to testify before the Sept. 11 commission, the Associated Press reported.
"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 stolen documents were copies of highly secret memorandum, possibly with handwritten notes, that allegedly were critical of the Clinton administration’s response to the "Millennium 2000" terror plot to bomb the Los Angeles International Airport.
Berger, who was an adviser to the presidential campaign of Sen. John Kerry when the scandal broke, has held multiple national security jobs since the Carter administration and recently was a foreign policy adviser to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Berger initially said he took copies of the classified documents regarding terrorism from the National Archives by "accident" and then misplaced them in what he described as an "honest mistake." He later admitted, however, that after pilfering the documents, he destroyed three of the five with scissors at the office of his consulting firm.
posted on September 8, 2005 02:58:36 PM
""The court finds the fine is inadequate because it doesn't reflect the seriousness of the offense," Robinson said as Berger stood before her.
Big deal...a fine he can well afford. Bet the liberals don't want him HUNG or tried for treason...and he was CONVICTED of his crime. But they'll sure call for the heads of those who have only been ACCUSED of wrong-doing.
Yes, berger got off easy. Too bad ...they should have thrown the book at him. He knew full well what he was doing.
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on September 8, 2005 05:06:30 PM
I held a top secret clearance at one time and I KNEW! Lapses in judgement were NOT tolerated. My butt would have been in PRISON!
Not only did he smuggle them out, he lied about it and admittedly destroyed the classified documents. A fine he can afford, no jail time and he loses his clearance for 3 YEARS?????? He should NEVER get access to anything classified again! He should also never, ever hold any position regarding National Security.
I wouldn't trust him to handle dog license applications!
posted on September 8, 2005 05:51:17 PM
twig - A little something I found not so funny at the time, but have come to appreciate what a through job they do when approving a secret clearance.
After having filed for the clearance, they came back to me saying all records of Linda....xxxx stopped when I was in fifth grade...and could I explain why there was no record of me before that point in time. It was like WHAT?? Long story short I wrote the school I attended at that time only to discover that my parents had changed my last name to that of my step-father....but hadn't done so legally. LOL Secret revealed and secret clearance granted.
posted on September 8, 2005 06:55:25 PM
Gee, mingo, do you laugh because a felon got off or only because it's funny when it's a Democrat? Would you find it be so humorous if it were a Republican getting off? Or if he also took plans to the Towers and gave them to Bin Laden?
Just wondering when it's NOT funny?
It doesn't matter WHO did it, they should have gotten much, much worse. Good God, even Martha served time.
posted on September 8, 2005 11:47:57 PM
YES! I think it's hilarious! The president of this country has gotten away with so many crimes that it IS funny when a Democrat can!
