When shadows of secrecy loom over a certain presidential residence, one can’t help but ask: what’s being hidden behind the closed doors of Delaware?
The persistent search for transparency by Republicans is hitting a brick wall with President Biden’s administration, particularly concerning the mysterious visitor logs at Biden’s Delaware home. Despite the Republican’s unceasing demands for clarity, they’ve been met with empty-handed responses and endless excuses. It seems the Biden administration is favoring obscurity over accountability.
In a questionable move, the U.S. Secret Service is stubbornly blocking the release of emails identifying who’s been visiting Biden’s homes in Delaware. A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed to reveal these details was promptly dismissed. One must wonder, what are they so determined to hide?
The Secret Service officer’s response revealed that the emails concerning the visitors to Biden’s residences are, according to them, not subject to FOIA. They cited a court ruling about expected visitors to the President’s residence not being agency records subject to FOIA. However, this reasoning appears shady when considering that it conveniently aligns with the administration’s secretive approach.
Even the NY Post was stonewalled when it filed its own FOIA request. The Secret Service claimed last year that there were no records of Biden’s Delaware visitors. How conveniently forgetful. They even tried to justify this absurdity by referring to a New York court ruling about former President Donald Trump’s visitor information, which, tellingly, doesn’t bind officials in Delaware or DC. It’s alarming how far they would go to keep the public in the dark.
Earlier this year, as a scandal loomed over Biden’s alleged illegal possession of classified documents, the Secret Service claimed it was “collecting” information about visitors to his Wilmington, Delaware home. This promise was made amid demands for information on everyone who visited Biden’s residence and other locations where he supposedly stashed classified documents, including a private office at the Penn Biden Center in Washington, D.C.
Senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson had requested these visitor logs, to which the Secret Service responded that they are “evaluating” the request and “gathering” information. Yet, they seem to be spinning their wheels rather than providing the sought-after information.
Republicans wanted Biden to release his visitor logs for his Delaware home but are really quiet about DeSantis changing Florida laws to hide his travel records & visitor logs.
it’s going to be a NO for me, 2024 & beyond pic.twitter.com/0251vAfb4h
— Mostly Peaceful Latinas (@mplpodcast305) May 12, 2023
The Secret Service spokesman, Anthony Guglielmi, told the media that there are no “formal and comprehensive visitor logs” for protected residences. But isn’t it peculiar that there are no such records when it comes to Biden’s residences? He did concede that the agency keeps records of specific visitors, like contractors or workers, and of people who visit protected sites with law enforcement and criminal justice histories. Yet, the veil of secrecy remains intact.
Ironically, at Biden’s Wilmington residence, classified documents were found carelessly stashed in the garage, next to his vintage Chevrolet Corvette. This revelation stoked the fires of the ongoing investigation into Biden’s mishandling of top secrets, with Senator Johnson voicing his hope for transparency and cooperation from the Secret Service.
There’s evidence that indicates Biden knew about the Biden family influence-peddling scheme – including text messages, emails, a voicemail, visitor logs, and on-the-record accounts.
We need a special counsel to investigate.https://t.co/D4rd8baykZ
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) May 6, 2023
Despite initially denying the existence of any records, the Secret Service later admitted to having some information regarding visitors to Biden’s Delaware home. Nevertheless, Republicans’ requests for these logs were met with the excuse that no official visitor logs were kept because it’s a private residence.
As per the NY Post, Guglielmi stated that the Secret Service doesn’t keep its own visitor logs because it’s a private residence. It seems that the Biden administration, backed by the Secret Service, has conveniently decided to blur the lines between public duty and private life to evade accountability.
While the Secret Service does gather information on guests with regular access to the home, there’s no formal list. The retention of names vetted by the Secret Service seems to depend on a variety of factors, not least of which is the proximity to the president. The Biden administration’s lack of transparency, coupled with its refusal to keep records of visitor logs, paints a picture of an administration that, rather than being ‘for the people,’ prefers to operate behind a smokescreen of secrecy.
🚨🚨🚨
I’m calling on @POTUS Chief of Staff Ron Klain to release the visitor log for President Biden’s Wilmington residence & provide info about all properties & locations searched, including the identities of the Biden aides conducting the searches.👇🏼https://t.co/4M3O2oWUNB
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) January 15, 2023
The Republicans’ quest for truth and transparency is met with barricades erected by the Biden administration at every turn. They encounter a stony silence when demanding accountability for who has been visiting Biden’s Delaware homes. They’re not demanding anything out of the ordinary, simply the same standards of transparency expected of any public figure, especially one serving in the highest office of the nation.
The Secret Service’s role in this saga is dubious at best. They’re rejecting Freedom of Information Act requests, and in doing so, hindering public insight into the workings of the Biden administration. The question remains: what or who are they shielding?
Sources: ConservativeBrief, NYPost, FoxNews, NYTimes
