President Joe Biden scolded reporters who took his unwelcome documents with him all the way to Santa Cruz, Californiawhere he came to see storm-ravaged communities after parts of the state were devastated by “atmospheric rivers.”
The president stated bluntly that he had “no regrets” — even as a special council investigation has begun to investigate how classified government documents from his time as vice president ended up in his country. DC office with the Penn Biden center and in his Wilmington, Delaware garage.
In addition to rocking the start of the year and the second half of his term, the case has hampered the Biden team’s ability to focus on former President Trump’s document investigation.
“You know, I’ll answer the question, but here’s the deal,” Biden told reporters after being asked if he would answer a question on the subject — amid daily revelations about how classified documents from his time as vice president president were discovered.
President Biden tore the press when asked if he regretted not revealing the classified documents from his era as VP had been discovered in his former DC office before the November election
President Joe Biden toured with Governor Gavin Newsom (L) and Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) from storm damage in California, then hit the press for asking for his documents
He was asked if he regretted not revealing the classified documents before the November election. A Biden lawyer notified the National Archives of the discovery just days before Election Day.
“What honestly bugs me is that we have a serious problem here that we’re talking about — we’re talking about what’s going on and the American people don’t quite understand why you don’t ask me about it.” he scolded. “But having said that, what’s your question?”
Then he responded. “Look, when we found a handful of documents filed in the wrong place, we immediately turned them over to the archives and the Justice Department. We are fully cooperating and look forward to resolving this quickly. I think you’ll find there’s nothing there.’
“I don’t regret following what the lawyers told me, what they want me to do, it’s exactly what we’re doing. There isn’t,” he concluded.
“We’re not giving up until we find Kyle,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom, speaking of a missing 5-year-old boy swept away by floods
The pair toured on a pier in Capitola caused by a storm
“If anyone doubts that the climate is changing, they must have been sleeping for the past few years,” Biden said
Newsom decided not to run for president in 2024
The Riviera Holiday Mobile Estates/Senior Community has been flooded after another wave of storms in Merced, California. Newsom thanked Biden for prompt disaster relief. Biden said state would ‘build back better’
The blast came after Biden visited the collapsed Capitola Pier near Seacliff State Park in Santa Cruz and met business owners whose shops had been destroyed by a series of powerful storms.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, who greeted Biden with a smile upon arrival, described the state’s 21 known deaths.
“We had nine atmospheric rivers, a lot of stress — this conveyor belt going back 22 days, trillions of gallons of water. The state of California we estimate over 1,400 heroic rescues, the lives that were saved didn’t make headlines,” Newsom said.
He also spoke of the search for a missing five-year-old boy who had been wiped out by flooding in San Luis Obispo County, leading to a search by the National Guard.
“We’re not giving up until we find Kyle,” he said.
Biden also referred to the missing boy.
“The fact is Jill and it has him in our prayers,” Biden said.
The two leaders shared camaraderie. Newsom declined to run for president in 2024, and Biden is expected to announce his own run soon.
The tour comes amid the deepening document scandal
The White House has refused to release visitor logs from Biden’s lakefront home in Wilmington, Delaware (pictured), where he spends most of every weekend — and conducted most of the 2020 campaign due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
At least a few documents were found in Biden’s garage at his home in Wilmington, Delaware
Biden was irritable with reporters asking about the documents debacle and his dealings with classified documents.
“One of the things I’ve long admired, I think the American people have admired, about this president is that there are very few people with the empathy, care, and compassion that he has. And you see that in times like these,” Newsom said.
“You and I need to stop doing helicopter rides,” Biden joked at one point, after also giving Newsom a warm smile when he arrived.
“If anyone doubts that the climate is changing, they must have been asleep for the past several years,” Biden said, referring to California’s years of drought, fires and severe storms.
Earlier, Biden viewed a stack of damaged planks from the Capitola pier.
He met aid workers and members of the military and exchanged challenge coins with some. He visited Zelda’s on the Beach, a restaurant with stacked sandbags at the beach exit and building materials in an otherwise bare interior.
He also took an aerial view of the widespread damage.
The state was hit by nearly a foot of rain and snow between December 26 and January 17, with snow piling up in the Sierras.
A series of “atmospheric rivers” — long bands of water vapor — struck in succession. Light rain and dry weather is expected in the coming days.