Biden think tank where classified documents were found hosted Chinese engagement event: Report
Cami Mondeaux
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The University of Pennsylvania think tank where several classified documents belonging to President Joe Biden were found previously hosted events with organizations that sought to promote closer engagement with China, according to reports.
Congressional staffers attended a two-day “bootcamp” event at the Penn Biden Center in June, in which organizers encouraged closer ties with the Chinese government on issues such as green energy and education, according to the Washington Free Beacon. There were no security officials present at the event, allowing attendees to walk around the center freely and use any of the empty rooms for phone calls or other private work.
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The event was organized by several university groups, including the Center for the Study of Contemporary China, the Penn Project on the Future of U.S.-China Relations, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies, according to the school website.
Several of the conference speakers included fellows from the Penn Project on the Future of U.S.-China Relations, which seeks to “stimulate and support activity in China,” according to the outlet.
The latest revelations raise questions about the security of the think tank offices where several classified documents were stored shortly after then-Vice President Biden left the White House in 2017.
Biden’s attorneys initially found a batch of documents inside a locked closet at the Washington, D.C.-based think tank on Nov. 2, prompting officials to turn over the materials to the National Archives and Records Administration. The NARA then alerted the Justice Department about the discovery on Nov. 4.
Biden has pushed back on accusations that he mishandled sensitive documents, arguing his think tank office was “secure.”
The president has faced intense criticism since reports emerged that the documents were found, with that scrutiny only intensifying after it was discovered more documents were found in Biden’s personal Delaware residence. Biden now faces a slew of investigations into his handling of classified documents by the Department of Justice, as well as congressional Republicans.
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After reports emerged about the initial discovery in Biden’s think tank office, the president told reporters on Jan. 10 that he was “surprised” to learn they were there. However, it remains unclear when he was briefed on their existence.
Biden has also maintained that he does not know what information is contained within the documents, noting his lawyers have advised him not to ask.