GOP Lawmaker Rips Biden On Docs; Jake Tapper Throws Video Trump Defense In His Face

Mary Papenfuss
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After Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) scorched President Joe Biden on Sunday for having classified documents in a former office and his house, CNN’s Jake Tapper surprised him with a video of him shrugging off a similar situation — only worse — involving Donald Trump.

A blasé Comer, now head of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, appeared to care less about Trump’s stash of classified documents in an interview on CNN in November. He said an investigation into that case “will not be a priority.”

“Do you only care about documents being mishandled when Democrats do the mishandling?” Tapper pressed Comer on “State of the Union.”

“Absolutely not,” snapped Comer.

But Comer complained about what he views as a “two-tiered system of justice.” with Biden’s home not searched by FBI agents, as was Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence, where investigators discovered hundreds of classified documents.

“The hypocrisy here is great,” Comer said.

Tapper, however, pointed out that Biden’s lawyers alerted officials when the documents were found and turned them over. Trump, on the other hand, stalled, did not fully comply with a subpoena seeking classified documents, and his “lawyers falsely told investigators they turned everything in,” Tapper added.

And “there are about 20 [classified documents] in the case of Biden. For Trump, there are more than 300 classified documents at Mar-a-Lago — a big difference here just on the facts,” Tapper noted.

Viewers “don’t understand why President Biden’s documents seem like a big priority for you,” while Trump’s are not, Tapper said.

The letter from House Oversight Committee chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., to White House Counsel Stuart Delery is photographed Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. The letter requested copies of the documents found at the Biden office, communications about the discovery, and a list of those who may have had access to the office where they were found. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)

The letter from House Oversight Committee chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., to White House Counsel Stuart Delery is photographed Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. The letter requested copies of the documents found at the Biden office, communications about the discovery, and a list of those who may have had access to the office where they were found. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)

Comer has written a letter to White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain seeking more information surrounding the documents, including visitor logs to Biden’s home.

“We have a lot of questions,” Comer said Sunday, referring to Biden’s home on CNN as a “crime scene.” Comer noted in the letter that he was “troubled” that “classified documents were improperly stored” at Biden’s home.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said later on “State of the Union” that the proper handling of all classified documents is vitally important to America’s safety.

But “it’s a bit disturbing to me that people who are saying there was no problem with what Donald Trump did — which was to defiantly reject any cooperation in turning over hundreds of classified documents — are upset about President Biden’s voluntary and rapid turnover of a handful of documents they found,” Raskin said.

Two special counsels have been appointed to investigate each of the cases.

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