Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger
National Security Advisor to President Bill Clinton
Born	October 28, 1945 (1945-10-28) (age 61) Sharon, Connecticut
Occupation	Lobbyist, Financial Services Industry, Campaign Advisor
Spouse	Susan Berger
Children	Three

Samuel Richard "Sandy" Berger (born October 28, 1945) served as the 19th United States National Security Advisor under President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 2001. In his position, he helped to formulate the foreign policy of the Clinton Administration. During this time he advised the President regarding the Khobar Towers bombing, Operation Desert Fox and other actions against Iraq, the NATO bombing campaign against Yugoslavia, responses to the terrorist bombings of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, and the administration's policy of engagement with the People's Republic of China.^[1] He was also one of the prominent actors of the Camp David 2000 Summit. Samuel Sam Berger (1900 - July 24, 1992) was a Canadian owner of the Canadian Football Leagues Ottawa Rough Riders and Montreal Alouettes and president of the CFL. A lawyer by profession, he was an early football fan who became involved with the Ottawa Rough Riders team as its legal... See http://clinton5. ... The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor, serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... Sharon is a town located in Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the northwest corner of the state. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Largest metro area Hartford Area  Ranked 48th  - Total 5,543[2] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ... This article is about the political effort. ... is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor, serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... Clinton embraces British Prime Minister Tony Blair. ... The Khobar Towers bombing was an attack on part of a housing complex in the city of Khobar, Saudi Arabia, located near the national oil company (Saudi Aramco) headquarters of Dhahran. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Combatants NATO Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Various militias and paramilitaries, as well as international volunteers [1] Commanders Wesley Clark (SACEUR) Javier Solana (Secretary General of NATO) Slobodan MiloÅ¡ević (Supreme Commander of the Army of Yugoslavia) Dragoljub Ojdanić (Chief of Staff) Svetozar Marjanović (Deputy Chief of Staff) Casualties 2 confirmed... Aftermath at the Nairobi embassy. ... The Middle East Peace Summit at Camp David of July 2000 took place between United States President Bill Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat. ...

Before joining the administration Berger had worked as an international trade attorney. Currently, he is chairman of an international advisory firm and chairman of the board of an international investment fund. Living in the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C., he is married to Susan Berger and has three children (two daughters and one son). The phrase Chairman of the Board has several meanings: Chairman of the Board is the term used to denote the leader of a corporations board of directors. ... The familiar golden dome of Washingtons once venerable Riggs Bank, now amalgamated into PNC Bank, at the northeast corner of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street NW. Georgetown in red Georgetown is a neighborhood located in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., along the Potomac River waterfront. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ...

In April 2005, Berger plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized removal and retention of classified material from the National Archives in Washington. According to the lead prosecutor in the case Berger only took copies of classified information and that no original material was destroyed, however there is notable controversy and speculation that he might have removed or destroyed originals of other unknown documents as well. The National Archives building in Washington, DC The United States National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records. ...

Early life

Originally from Millerton, New York where his parents ran an Army-Navy store (and born in nearby Sharon, Connecticut), Berger earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University in 1967 and his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Harvard Law School in 1971. At Cornell, Berger was a member of the Quill and Dagger society with Paul Wolfowitz and Stephen Hadley. Opposed to the Vietnam War, Berger began working for Senator George McGovern's presidential campaign in 1972. While there, he met Bill Clinton, forming a friendship that would last for decades. Berger later urged Clinton to run for president.^[2] Millerton is a village located in Dutchess County, New York. ... A surplus store sells items that are used, or purchased but never used, but no longer needed. ... Sharon is a town located in Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the northwest corner of the state. ... A B.A. issued from the University of Tennessee. ... “Cornell” redirects here. ... “J.D.” redirects here. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Law School. ... Harvard Law School (colloquially, Harvard Law or HLS) is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Paul Dundes Wolfowitz (born December 22, 1943) is a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, working on issues of international economic development, Africa and public-private partnerships. ... Stephen J. Hadley Stephen John Hadley (born February 13, 1947 in Toledo, Ohio) is the current U.S. Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (commonly referred as National Security Advisor) for President George W. Bush. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... George McGovern on May 8, 1972 cover of Time Magazine George Stanley McGovern, Ph. ...

After the McGovern campaign, Berger gained experience working in a variety of government posts, including serving as Special Assistant to former New York City Mayor John Lindsay and Legislative Assistant to former U.S. Senator Harold Hughes of Iowa and Congressman Joseph Resnick of New York. He was also Deputy Director of Policy Planning for the U.S. State Department from 1977 to 1980 under Secretary of State Cyrus Vance during the Carter administration.^[3] New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... This article is about the American politician. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Official language(s) English Capital Des Moines Largest city Des Moines Area  Ranked 26th  - Total 56,272 sq mi (145,743 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 199 miles (320 km)  - % water 0. ... Joseph Yale Resnick (July 13, 1924 - October 6, 1969) was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. ... This article is about the state. ... The Director of Policy Planning is the United States Department of State official in charge of the Departments internal think tank, the Policy Planning Staff. ... “Department of State” redirects here. ... Seal of the United States Department of State. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... For other persons named Jimmy Carter, see Jimmy Carter (disambiguation). ...

After leaving the State Department, Berger went on to join the law firm Hogan & Hartson where he helped expand the firm's international law practice. As a partner, he opened the firm's first two international offices, in London and Brussels.^[2] "Sandy Berger," Nancy Pelosi said in 1997 prior to becoming Speaker of the House, "was the point person at... Hogan & Hartson... for the trade office of the Chinese government. He was a lawyer-lobbyist."^[4] Hogan & Hartson is the 2nd oldest major law firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. It is a global firm with more than 1,000 lawyers in 22 offices worldwide, including offices in Europe, Latin America and East Asia. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For other places with the same name, see Brussels (disambiguation). ... Nancy Patricia DAlesandro Pelosi (born March 26, 1940) is currently the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. ... Dennis Hastert of Illinois, the current Speaker of the House (since January 6, 1999) The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives. ... State power within the government of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) is divided among three bodies: the Communist Party of China, the state, and the Peoples Liberation Army, (PLA). ... This article is about the political effort. ...

Clinton administration

Berger served as Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to Governor Clinton during the campaign, and as Assistant Transition Director for National Security of the 1992 Clinton-Gore Transition. During Clinton's first term of office (1993-1997), Berger served as deputy national security advisor, under Anthony Lake in the National Security Council. In Clinton's second term of office, Berger succeeded Lake as Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs from 1997 to 2001. This is a list of governors of Arkansas. ... The Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the Deputy National Security Advisor, is a member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, serving as deputy to the Presidents National Security Advisor. ... Lake (left) meets with Bill Clinton and Leon Panetta at the White House in 1994. ... The National Security Council (NSC) of the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and cabinet officials. ...

Fined for conflict of interest

In November 1997, Berger paid a $23,000 civil penalty to settle conflict of interest allegations stemming from his failure to sell his stock of Amoco Corporation as ordered by the White House. Berger was advised by the White House to sell the stock in early 1994. Berger said he had planned to sell the stock, but then forgot. He denied knowingly participating in decisions in which he had a financial interest. With no evidence that Berger intended to break the law, the U.S. Justice Department determined a civil penalty was adequate for a "non-willful violation" of the conflict of interest law.^[5] In the common law, civil law refers to the area of law governing relations between private individuals. ... A conflict of interest is a situation in which someone in a position of trust, such as a lawyer, a politician, or an executive or director of a corporation, has competing professional or personal interests. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The American Oil Company, or Amoco, was a global chemical and oil company, founded in Baltimore in 1910 and incorporated in 1922 by Louis Blaustein and his son Jacob, but now part of BP. The firms early innovations include the gasoline tanker truck and the drive-through filling station. ... For other uses, see White House (disambiguation). ... The Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building in Washington, D.C. “Justice Department” redirects here. ...

Chinese nuclear espionage

Further information: Cox Report and Timeline of Cox Report controversy

Sandy Berger with President Clinton and Madeleine Albright

In 1999, Berger was criticized for failing to promptly inform President Clinton of his knowledge that the People's Republic of China had managed to acquire the designs of a number of U.S. nuclear warheads. Berger was originally briefed of the espionage by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) in April 1996, but did not inform the president until July 1997.^[6][7] U.S. Representative Chris Cox (Republican-California) chaired the Committee that produced the report. ... The Timeline of the Cox Report controversy is a chronology of information relating to the Peoples Republic of Chinas (PRC) alleged nuclear espionage against the United States detailed in the Congressional Cox Report. ... Image File history File links Clinton_berger_albright. ... Image File history File links Clinton_berger_albright. ... Madeleine Korbel Albright (born Marie Jana Korbelová, IPA: , on May 15, 1937) was the first woman to become United States Secretary of State. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945 lifted nuclear fallout some 18 km (60,000 feet) above the epicenter. ... Spy and Secret agent redirect here. ... The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government responsible for energy policy and nuclear safety. ...

A number of Republicans, including then presidential hopeful Lamar Alexander, called for Berger's resignation. They accused him of ignoring the allegations of Chinese espionage. "For his unwillingness to act on this serious matter, Mr. Berger should resign", Alexander said. "If he does not, he should be relieved of his duties by President Clinton."^[8] President Clinton rejected the calls: "The record is that we acted aggressively," Clinton said. "Mr. Berger acted appropriately."^[9] The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Andrew Lamar Alexander (born July 3, 1940) is the senior United States Senator from Tennessee and a member of the Republican Party. ... Spy and Secret agent redirect here. ...

Counterintelligence or counter-espionage is the act of seeking and indentifying espionage activities. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political... F.B.I. and FBI redirect here. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ...

Post-government

After leaving the Clinton administration, Berger became chairman of Stonebridge International, an international advisory firm he co-founded in 2001 which focuses on aiding companies in their expansion into markets such as Brazil, China, India, and Russia.^[3] Berger is also Chairman of the DB Zwirn Global Advisory Board, an international investment fund and merchant capital provider founded in 2001 and with offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia. ^[11] Berger is an Advisory Board member for the Partnership for a Secure America, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to recreating the bipartisan center in American national security and foreign policy. Stonebridge International is an international advisory firm that helps businesses get a foothold in countries such as Brazil, the Peoples Republic of China, Russia and India. ... The Partnership for a Secure America (PSA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to recreating the bipartisan center in American national security and foreign policy. ...

In late 2003, Berger was called to testify before the 9/11 Commission regarding steps taken against terrorism during his tenure and the information he provided to his successor, Condoleezza Rice. At the time, Berger was also acting as an informal foreign policy advisor to Senator John Kerry during his campaign for the presidency. He quit his advisory role after controversy arose regarding his preparations for testifying before the September 11 committee.^[12] The Commissions seal The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, was set up in late 2002 to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks, including preparedness for and the immediate response... Terrorist redirects here. ... Condoleezza Rice (born November 14, 1954) is the 66th United States Secretary of State, and the second in the administration of President George W. Bush to hold the office. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts, in his fourth term of office. ...

Convicted of mishandling classified terror documents

The National Archives building in Washington, DC

On July 19, 2004, it was revealed that the U.S. Justice Department was investigating Berger for unlawfully stealing classified documents in October 2003, by removing them from a National Archives reading room prior to testifying before the 9/11 Commission. The documents were five classified copies of a single report commissioned from Richard Clarke, covering internal assessments of the Clinton administration's handling of the unsuccessful 2000 millennium attack plots. Image File history File links Public Exhibit area of the National Archives Building, Washington, DC, 1998, by Rick Dikeman This looks like its the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. ... Image File history File links Public Exhibit area of the National Archives Building, Washington, DC, 1998, by Rick Dikeman This looks like its the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... It has been suggested that Information sensitivity be merged into this article or section. ... Richard A. Clarke (born 1951) provided national security advice to four U.S. presidents: Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, consulting on issues of intelligence and terrorism, from 1973 to 2003. ... The organization Al-Qaida encouraged attacks against Israel and the United States on or around January 1, 2000. ...

When initially questioned by reporters, Berger claimed that the removal of the top-secret documents in his attache-case and handwritten notes in his jacket and pants pockets was accidental. He later, in a guilty plea, admitted to deliberately removing the copies and cutting three up with scissors. Archive staff stated they witnessed Berger, on more than one occasion, stuffing into his pants and into his jacket papers he was illegally removing. One witness saw Berger stuffing into his socks papers from the archives. ^[13] Two of the copies were recovered by DOJ investigators and returned to the archives.

Berger eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized removal and retention of classified material on April 1, 2005. Under a plea agreement, U.S. attorneys recommended a fine of $10,000 and a loss of security clearance for three years. However, on September 8, U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson increased the fine to $50,000 at Berger's sentencing. Robinson stated, "The court finds the fine [recommended by government prosecutors] is inadequate because it doesn't reflect the seriousness of the offense."^[14] Berger was also ordered to serve two years of probation and to perform 100 hours of community service.^[15] As part of his 2005 plea agreement, Mr. Berger promised to take a lie detector test. He never did. ^[16] former Clinton campaign advisor Dick Morris,^[17] USA Today reporter Jack Kelley,^[18] multiple times by Fox News correspondent John Gibson (the last as recently as December 2006^[19]), and former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (Republican-Illinois), who said: "What information could be so embarrassing that a man with decades of experience in handling classified documents would risk being caught pilfering our nation's most sensitive secrets?"^[20] A misdemeanor, or misdemeanour, in many common law legal systems, is a lesser criminal act. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A security clearance is a status granted to individuals, typically members of the military and employees of governments and their contractors, allowing them access to classified information, i. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Dick Morris (born November 28, 1948 in New York City) is an American political author, newspaper columnist, and commentator who previously worked as a pollster, political campaign consultant, and general political consultant. ... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ... Jack Kelley was a longtime USA Today reporter and nominee for the Pulitzer Prize. ... Fox News Channels slogan is We Report, You Decide The Fox News Channel is a U.S. cable and satellite news channel. ... John Gibson is an American television talk show host, hosting the weekday edition of The Big Story and The John Gibson Show on Fox News Radio. ... John Dennis Denny Hastert (born January 2, 1942) is an American politician. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ...

After a long investigation, the lead prosecutor Noel Hillman, chief of the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section, stated that Berger only removed classified copies of data stored on hard drives stored in the National Archives, and that no original material was destroyed.^[21] His and the FBI's opinion of the case initially led The Wall Street Journal to editorialize against the allegations.^[22][23] The Public Integrity Section is a section of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice charged with combating political corruption at all levels of government through the prosecution of corrupt federal, state, and local elected and appointed public officials. ... The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is an international daily newspaper published by Dow Jones & Company in New York City, New York, USA, with Asian and European editions, and a worldwide daily circulation of more than 2 million as of 2006, with 931,000 paying online subscribers. ...

On December 20, 2006, more than a year after Berger pleaded guilty and was sentenced, a report issued by the archives inspector detailed how Berger had perpetrated the crime. Inspector General Paul Brachfeld reported that Berger took a break to go outside without an escort. "In total, during this visit, he removed four documents ... Mr. Berger said he placed the documents under a trailer in an accessible construction area outside Archives 1 (the main Archives building)." Berger acknowledged that he later retrieved the documents from the construction area and returned with them to his office.^[24][25] is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The report also stated "There were not any handwritten notes on the documents Mr. Berger removed from the archives. Mr. Berger did not believe there was unique information in the three documents he destroyed. Mr. Berger never made any copies of these documents." In the end, according to the report, "[Mr. Berger] substituted his sense of sensitivity instead of thinking of classification" in deciding to remove the documents.^[26]

In January 2007, departing Republican staff of The United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released a report titled Sandy Berger's Theft of Classified Documents: Unanswered Questions. It states that the FBI or the Department of Justice never questioned Berger about two earlier visits he made on May 30, 2002 and July 18, 2003, when he reviewed White House working papers not yet inventoried by the National Archives, and speculates that, had Berger previously been entirely successful in actions at which he was later caught, "nobody would know they were gone." It also contains the FBI's statement as to why they concluded there was no exposure on those dates: "Berger was under constant supervision".^[27][15][28] The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is a United States House of Representatives committee that has existed in varying forms since 1816. ...

The report did, however, cause the Wall Street Journal to, in January 2007, retract their initial opinion of the case, saying there are substantial questions concerning the truth of Berger's statements and that other documents may have been removed. They now argue that Berger's taking of multiple copies of the same document contradict his statement that he took them only for his personal research, since they note that he could have simply taken one copy.^[29][30] Mr. Berger continues to insist that he took the copies of the same document for personal convenience, and thought them overclassified (i.e. the information they contained was not actually sensitive to national security).

On May 17, 2007, Berger relinquished his license to practice law as a result of the Justice Department investigation. Saying, "I have decided to voluntarily relinquish my license." He added that, "While I derived great satisfaction from years of practicing law, I have not done so for 15 years and do not envision returning to the profession. I am very sorry for what I did, and I deeply apologize." By giving up his license, Berger avoided cross-examinination by the Bar Counsel regarding details of his thefts.^[31]

Sandy Berger has recently become an adviser to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in her campaign to become the 44th President of the United States although Senator Clinton announced that he has "no official role" in her campaign.

See also

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Sandy Berger

• History of the United States National Security Council 1993-2003
• Iraq disarmament crisis timeline 1997-2000
• Mary McCarthy (CIA)

Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Wikiquote is one of a family of wiki-based projects run by the Wikimedia Foundation, running on MediaWiki software. ... This article is about the history of the United States National Security Council during the Clinton Administration, 1993-1997. ... Timeline of events related to the Iraq disarmament crisis Continued from Iraq disarmament crisis timeline 1990-1996 February, 1997 Iraq allows UNSCOM to remove the missile parts found last September March 26, 1997 US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright delivers a speech at Georgetown University in which she argues that... Mary ONeil McCarthy (born 1945) is a former Central Intelligence Agency employee who last worked in the Office of the Inspector General. ...

External links

• Archives Staff Was Suspicious of Berger Washington Post
• United States National Security Council page at the White House website
• Report on Berger (PDF), Office of the Inspector General, National Archives and Records Administration

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References