As a senator in the 1970s, Joe Biden tanked then-President Jimmy Carter’s pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency over the nominee’s illegal possession of classified documents.
Carter chose Ted Sorenson to serve as his CIA director in 1977.
Sorenson had admitted to taking boxes of classified records home with him after leaving the White House in 1964, and using the materials for his work in writing a biography of former President John F. Kennedy. Sorenson’s admission to this came in affidavits used in cases involving the Pentagon Papers.
BIDEN, HUNTER MAKE PRESIDENTIAL HISTORY AS FIRST FATHER-SON DUO UNDER SEPARATE INVESTIGATIONS
At the time, Biden considered the affidavit and joined with Republicans to block Sorenson from being confirmed by the Senate. Biden also suggested Sorenson may have violated the Espionage Act.
Then-Sen. Joe Biden found a nominee’s use of classified documents as something that should disqualify him from being nominated to lead the CIA.
