Newly released messages obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley show personnel at the Biden Department of Justice, including individuals assigned to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office, raised concerns over the handling of classified materials while Smith’s team was investigating President Trump over his alleged mishandling of classified documents.
The messages were provided by the DOJ to Grassley’s office in response to congressional oversight requests and reveal multiple incidents involving classified information security. According to the records, DOJ personnel raised concerns that an individual was provided access to classified materials without first confirming they had the required “need to know” authorization.
The messages also indicate that there was at least one instance where the potential movement of classified materials stored inside a DOJ Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) could not be accounted for. Another incident involved a SCIF accessible to personnel within Smith’s Special Counsel Office being left open at least overnight and potentially longer, which officials described in the messages as a “violation and incident.” The records also indicate there was limited assistance available for oversight efforts to secure the SCIF following the incident.
The messages identify Stephanie Van Buskirk (SLV) as having opened the SCIF “the day before” the incident occurred. The records state that her actions were connected to the “violation and incident,” and she appears in the messages to have been an assistant to Jack Smith. Other individuals referenced in the communications include Carli Rodriguez-Feo (CVR), Julie Edelstein (JAE), William O’Neil (WGO), Molly Gaston (MGG), and Thomas Windom (TPW).
“Talk about the pot calling the kettle black,” Grassley said. “According to these messages, Biden DOJ personnel may have committed the very offense for which Jack Smith was prosecuting President Trump.”
