Berger to Pay $50,000 Fine for Taking Papers:
"Earlier in the hearing, Berger expressed remorse for his crime, which he described as a lapse of judgment that came while he was preparing to testify before the Sept. 11 commission.
'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."
Item 1, the headline, 'Taking Papers'. For those of us outside the 'good ol boy' loop that is called 'stealing' classified documents from the National Archives. Then destroyed some of them. I would assume that is destroying government property.
How does the Times paint it? He just took them. Imagine Condi Rice just 'took' some documents and destroyed them BEFORE her 8/11 testimony. Think the Headline would not have the words 'Steal' and 'Classified' in the headline?
Item 2 Was Berger caught doing a CYA operation much as the one done on Vince Foster's office after his untimely death which just happened to be the day before he was to submit the documents to the blind trust for the Clintons which were already months late? Probably just coincidence. No way it had anything to do with Able Danger... naw, never mind.
Item 3 He will not fail again.... because..... MISSION ACCOMPLISHED documents destroyed.
Item 4 Summary.
Steal Classified Documents.
Destroy Classified Government Documents.
commits Perjury.
You think you or I would get away with a $50,000 fine? Probably plus a bunch of jail time.
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