The differences between Biden and Trump classified documents 3:39
Washington (CNN) --
The National Archives has formally asked former presidents and former vice presidents to review their personal records again for any classified documents or other presidential records, after classified documents were discovered in the homes of former President Donald Trump, former vice president Mike Pence and President Joe Biden over the past year.
The Archives sent a letter Thursday to representatives of former presidents and vice presidents of the past six administrations covered by the Presidential Records Act (PRA), from the White House of former President Ronald Reagan to the present.
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The letter, which was reviewed by CNN, asks them to check their archives to ensure that material deemed personal does not "unintentionally" contain presidential records that are required by law to be turned over to the Archives.
"The responsibility to comply with the PRA does not diminish after the end of a government," the letter states.
"Therefore, we request that you conduct an evaluation of any material held outside of NARA that relates to the administration for which you serve as a designated representative under the PRA, to determine whether the bodies of material previously assumed to be of personal nature could inadvertently contain presidential or vice presidential records subject to the PRA, whether classified or unclassified."
The letter notes that "while much of the attention in these cases has been focused on classified information, the PRA requires that all presidential records from all Administrations from Reagan onward be transferred to NARA, regardless of their classification status." ".
The Archives sent the letter to representatives of former Presidents Trump, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George HW Bush, and Ronald Reagan, and to former Vice Presidents Pence, Biden, Dick Cheney, Al Gore, and Dan Quayle.
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Representatives for the four former presidents have so far told CNN that they do not have any classified documents in their possession.
Representatives for former Presidents Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama and the late George HW Bush told CNN that all classified files had been turned over to the National Archives upon leaving office.
No letter for Carter
Former President Jimmy Carter did not receive any letters from the Archives, as he is technically exempt from the Presidential Archives Act.
Although Carter signed the PRA, it did not take effect until after he left office.
A source familiar with the Archives told CNN they had no recollection of Carter finding any misplaced classified documents.
Quayle confirmed to CNN that everything was turned over to the Files, and sources familiar with Cheney's records said he turned everything over as well when he left the White House.
A Gore spokesman said he and his staff turned everything in upon leaving the White House and no classified material has been discovered since.
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In the most recent case, Pence turned over roughly a dozen classified documents to the FBI, as CNN exclusively reported this week, in what is already the third case of a current or former White House occupant having classified material in his home. or office.
In the interest of prudence, Pence also turned over four boxes of unclassified material to the National Archives to ensure that nothing else in his possession fell within the purview of the Presidential Records Act.
Trump had more than 300 classified documents in his possession at his Mar-a-Lago compound in Florida, while Biden had 10 classified documents in his former private office in Washington.
Other batches of classified documents were later found at Biden's residence in Wilmington, Delaware.
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