CNN once again came to the defense of President Joe Biden over his mishandling of classified documents that spans years in different locations that are only just now being handed over to authorities.
CNN reporter explained during a segment on Thursday Katie Bo Lillis that the intelligence community says this type of "spillage" happens all the time, with only a few times resulting in criminal proceedings.
"Classified spillage happens literally almost every day and most of the time it’s completely accidental. An employee accidentally takes home a classified document in a briefcase. In one example that we were told, the employee found a classified document that had been accidentally attached to an unclassified travel itinerary. He slept with it under his pillow and returned it the next day and that was that. Most of these cases are handled internally," said Lillis.
"Part of the reason it’s so common is the law of large numbers. There’s over four million security clearance holders floating around out there. And some national security officials acknowledge that the U.S. Government has a big problem with overclassification. There are just millions and millions of pieces of classified information, not all of which are exquisite," she continued.
"I’ve heard that from so many officials, Democrats and Republicans, the idea that everything is classified," Kaitlan Collins added.
“The question is when does it go to something that the agency refers to the Justice Department for investigation and possible prosecution. There’s no hard and fast rule. It really depends on the case itself, the facts and circumstances. What we have seen in more high profile cases that intent to mishandle the information is really the key factor. Did you intend to hoard it, sell it, leak it?" Lillis continued.
Biden has had the classified documents in question not only at the PennBiden Center but also in his garage at his Delaware home that his son, Hunter Biden, had access to as he listed the home as his primary residence.