Officials from the Justice Department are expected to brief the Gang of Eight on Tuesday on the agency's process for restricting Congress's access to classified documents found at the homes of President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, and former Vice President Mike Pence, according to congressional sources.
Members of the group aren’t expected to learn anything about the documents found. Rather, officials will outline the process the DOJ will use to give lawmakers access to the materials. The briefing on Tuesday is a sign of progress, as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been criticizing the Department of Justice over its refusal to share information about the classified documents with members of Congress.
Lawmakers have called for investigations into the matter and pressed the DOJ for more information on whether the classified materials pose national security concerns.
BITTERLY DIVIDED SENATE FINDS COMMON ENEMY IN DOJ 'STONEWALLING' ON CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS
Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), the leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee, first requested to see the classified files that the FBI found in its August search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. They also asked to see classified documents that were found in Biden’s former office and at his Wilmington home. Later, they asked to see classified documents that were found in Pence’s possession.
The Justice Department sent the two lawmakers a letter at the end of January, maintaining the existence of special counsels in both the Trump and Biden cases limits its ability to share information with Congress. Days later, the senators responded and said they had a legitimate need to provide oversight over the intelligence community, including addressing “potential risks to national security arising from the mishandling of this classified information.”
It remains to be seen whether the limited nature of the briefing on Tuesday will satisfy the demands of lawmakers as the matter drives a wedge between the Biden administration and Democratic lawmakers who have presented a rare united front with Republicans.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Members of the panel continue to weigh all their options and have even threatened to take action to compel the administration to cooperate, which could include issuing subpoenas, withholding funding, or blocking Biden’s nominees until Congress is allowed to review the documents. Senators on both sides of the aisle have warned the DOJ leadership they will utilize whatever leverage they have.
“If they cooperate with us, that won’t be necessary. But, as you know, there are limited tools that senators have to get the executive branch’s attention, and that’s one of them, along with appropriations. Hopefully, we will be able to work something out,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), a senior member of the panel, said at the beginning of the month.