Joe Biden should be 'embarrassed' after more classified documents found, top Democrats say

Top Democrats have criticised Joe Biden after a fourth tranche of classified documents was found at his home, saying the US president should be “embarrassed by the situation”.

FBI investigators seized six additional classified documents during a 13-hour search of Mr Biden’s family home in Wilmington, Delaware.

The announcement of a fourth discovery of classified files in less than a fortnight heaped further embarrassment on Mr Biden.

Investigators were invited into the president’s home and did not require a search warrant in contrast to the search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property.

Illinois senator, Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate said the situation was embarrassing for the president and deprived him of the moral high ground over Mr Trump.

'It's not supposed to happen'

"Let's be honest about it. When the information is found, it diminishes the stature of any person who is in possession of it because it's not supposed to happen. ... The elected official bears ultimate responsibility," Mr Durbin said.

Mr Biden has been under pressure since announcing “a small number” of classified documents had been found by his lawyers at the Penn Biden Centre in Washington shortly before the midterm elections.

Documents were also found in follow-up searches on December 20 in the garage of his Wilmington home, and on January 11 and 12 in his home library.

The president has repeatedly sought to play it down, telling reporters last week " there's no there there."

However, the latest discovery of the files found in garage dating back to Mr Biden’s time as vice president and Senator, threaten to undermine his re-election bid.

Bob Bauer, Mr Biden’s lawyer, said the FBI  "had full access to the President's home, including personally handwritten notes, files, papers, binders, memorabilia, to-do lists, schedules, and reminders going back decades”.

Former Maryland US Attorney Robert Hur has been appointed as a special counsel to investigate any potential wrongdoing surrounding the former president’s documents.

Republicans heaped pressure on Mr Biden over the weekend.

'Serial classified document hoarder'

Mike Turner, who is expected to chair the House Intelligence Committee, described the president as a “serial classified document hoarder” yesterday/Sunday.

“And this is a real critical question to all this, why did he have these documents to begin with?” he said on CBS’s Face the Nation.

“I can think of no reason why the president should have taken home, as a senator or as vice president, any classified documents that clearly have no protection.

“They’re available and open to anybody”.

Democratic senator and close Biden ally, Chris Coons, played down the controversy on ABC’s This Week.

“Frankly, I also don’t think this is an issue that’s keeping Americans up at night. I think they’re worried about much more day-to-day things like inflation prices and prescription drug prices.”