A bipartisan group of senior lawmakers has begun receiving classified documents recovered from properties belonging to former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, according to two people familiar with the matter.
(Bloomberg) — A bipartisan group of senior lawmakers has begun receiving classified documents recovered from properties belonging to former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, according to two people familiar with the matter.Â
The group, known as the Gang of Eight, traditionally is provided access to sensitive intelligence but until now the Biden administration had not allowed them to see the documents themselves, drawing ire from the leaders of the Senate and House Intelligence committees.Â
The members, who include Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, as well as the top Republicans and Democrats on the intelligence committees, were briefed on the documents in February but were disappointed at the lack of access.Â
The White House declined to comment on the issue.Â
The presence of classified documents at Trump’s Florida home at Mar-a-Lago and the former president’s alleged refusal to turn some over resulted in an FBI search of the property last August. A special counsel is investigating that case.Â
Officials later found improperly stored classified documents at Biden’s personal office and in his Delaware home as well as at the home of former Vice President Mike Pence.Â
Congressional access to the materials was reported earlier by Punchbowl News.Â
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