Leaders are meant to keep state secrets. Just not at home.

WASHINGTON — Democrats responded with aggrieved fury when former President Donald Trump was found in possession of classified documents that should have been turned over to the government when he left office. “We’re talking about two successive administrations from two different parties, with officials at the top level having, in their possession, documents in places that they don’t belong.” The Democratic chairman of that panel, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, had tart advice for all ex-presidents and future ones regardless of party: “Go check your closets.” The latest disclosure came from Pence lawyer Greg Jacob, who informed the National Archives — the proper place for such material — that classified documents were found in Pence’s Indiana home last week. “I don’t believe there were ‘sinister motives’ with regards to the handling of classified information by President Biden, President Trump, or Vice President Pence,” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina tweeted. “I know the processes we have in place to safeguard such material at the legislative level, but we need to have a better understanding of how this is being handled at the executive level, and probably not just limited to presidents and vice presidents, but key staffers and other officials in the government that have access to this.” Representatives of former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, as well as of Bush Vice President Dick Cheney, said there were no instances of classified documents being found outside the custody of the archives after their time in office. Jason R. Baron, former director of litigation at the National Archives, said it’s possible for innocent mistakes to happen when one administration hands over power to the next one, given “the harried nature of staff preparing for a presidential transition.” “I am not surprised that documents with classified markings can be found mixed in with personal papers in the homes of former government officials,” he said.