The Justice Department has closed its investigation into the possible mishandling of classified documents found at former US Vice President Mike Pence’s home and will not bring any charges, according to a letter from the DOJ obtained by CNN on Friday.
“The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department’s National Security Division have conducted an investigation into the potential mishandling of classified information,” the Justice Department wrote to Pence’s attorney in the letter. “Based on the results of that investigation, no criminal charges will be sought.”
In late January, documents with classified markings were found in Pence’s home. Several weeks later, an additional classified document was found during a voluntary five-hour search of the house.
Pence turned over the classified records to the FBI following their discovery, and the FBI and Justice Department’s National Security Division launched a review of how they ended up at Pence’s home.
Pence has said that he had been unaware the documents were at his home but said that “mistakes were made” and took responsibility for it.
Pence’s saga with classified documents came after FBI agents raided former President Donald Trump’s Florida home in August. The investigators seized dozens of boxes of records, including more than 100 documents marked classified.
In January, a White House lawyer said a “small number of documents” with classified markings that are tied to President Joe Biden and appear to be from the Obama administration are under review by the Justice Department and National Archives.
The White House later said it had discovered five additional pages of classified documents at Biden's home. Additional documents were later found at the President’s home.
The Justice Department is still investigating the handling of classified records by Trump and Biden.
DOJ declined to comment but confirmed sending the letter.
Pence and his team were pleased but not surprised by the DOJ decision, a Pence adviser said.
The decision on Pence comes ahead of the former Vice President’s planned announcement next week that he will run for president in 2024.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)