What we know – and don't know – about classified documents at the University of Delaware
The FBI has searched the University of Delaware in recent weeks for classified documents, part of a larger investigation into President Joe Biden’s handling of government records, multiple news outlets reported Wednesday night.
This news comes after both of Biden's homes in Delaware have also been searched for classified documents.
Here’s what we know and what we don’t know about what's happening.
What’s being reported now?
CNN, and then the Associated Press, reported on Feb. 15 that the FBI conducted two searches at the University of Delaware related to classified documents. The searches were conducted in “recent weeks, with the consent and cooperation of the president’s legal team,” CNN reported.
Why would the University of Delaware be involved?
Biden donated his senatorial papers to his alma mater in 2012. It consists of more than 1,850 boxes, along with 415 gigabytes of electronic records.
At first, the documents were expected to be available to the public two years after Biden’s last day in elected office. But this changed after Biden ran for president. Now, the documents will not be made public until two years after Biden retires from public life.
Public funds are not being used to support Biden’s collection. A UD spokesman has previously said no documents from Biden’s time as vice president have been donated to the university.
Do we know if there are any classified documents at the University of Delaware?
It’s unclear. Until reporting this year, there has not been any indication of classified documents being at UD.
The Wall Street Journal reported that "agents found no documents marked classified but did take some material from the university."
MORE TO READ:FBI searches Biden's Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, house as part of classified documents probe
What has the university previously said?
In early January, news first broke about classified documents being found at the Penn Biden Center.
On Jan. 12, a day after NBC News reported that documents were also found at Biden’s Greenville home, Delaware Online/The News Journal asked the University of Delaware if the school had been asked by the White House to search for classified documents at the Biden Institute or UD archives – or if it was conducting its own search.
A spokesman responded: “We have not been asked to search for classified documents. President Biden donated his Senatorial papers to the University of Delaware in 2012. He did not donate vice presidential papers.”
During the university’s budget hearing with lawmakers on Feb. 2, Republican Sen. Dave Lawson asked about the maintenance of the Biden-donated documents and if state funds were being used.
"Being all the interest that's out there now with everybody having confidential material,” Lawson asked, “if the FBI would reach out to you, how would you respond as far as who's maintaining things? Is that still private? That response would be privately funded?"
UD President Dennis Assanis said: “If the FBI ever wants to do anything, we’d always cooperate with the federal agencies.” He did not mention any official contact from the FBI in regard to searching for classified documents.
So, what is the University of Delaware saying now?
Not a lot. When asked if the FBI searched for classified documents at UD, and when that occurred, spokesman Peter Bothum said: “Questions about this matter should be answered by the Department of Justice.”
The White House also referred questions to the Department of Justice, which declined to comment.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Biden classified documents: What we know about U. of Delaware's role
