Former US Vice President Mike Pence takes 'full responsibility' for classified documents found at his home

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Former US Vice President Mike Pence said Friday he takes "full responsibility" for classified documents found at his home in the state of Indiana.

"While I was not aware that those classified documents were in our personal residence, let me be clear: Those classified documents should not have been at my personal residence," Pence said in an address at Florida International University's Adam Smith Center.

“Mistakes were made. And I take full responsibility,” he said.

Pence said after the recent discovery of classified documents at President Joe Biden’s home and office, he decided to review his personal records at his reticence.

After classified documents were found, “We alerted the National Archives. We turned them over to the FBI, and soon thereafter communicated to the Congress,” said Pence. “Now I've directed my counsel, to work with the National Archives with the Department of Justice and with the Congress to fully cooperate in any investigation.”

A dozen classified documents were found at Pence’s home last week, according to his lawyer, Greg Jacob.

The discovery came days after several classified documents were discovered at Biden’s home and private office, with the Justice Department searching the president’s home in the state of Delaware on Saturday.

The documents at Biden’s home and office reportedly included US intelligence memos and briefing materials dated between 2013 and 2016 related to Ukraine, Iran and the UK.

Former President Donald Trump was also found to have classified documents at his residence at Mar-a-Lago in the state of Florida when it was searched by the FBI in August.

Following the discovery of a series of classified documents, the National Archives and Record Administration sent a letter Thursday to former presidents and vice presidents asking them to review their personal records to make sure they do not have classified documents, CNN reported.

According to the Presidential Record Acts, which Congress passed in 1978 following President Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal, all presidential records are public property and are to be handed to the National Archives upon completion of the president's term.