Mike Pence responds to classified documents discovery
Fox News correspondent Rich Edson interviews Pence, who says he takes 'full responsibility' for the mishap.
Former Vice President Mike Pence spoke out for the first time to Fox News since the discovery of classified documents in his suburban Indianapolis home earlier this month.
Pence was in Miami for an event at Florida International University when Fox News correspondent Rich Edson caught up with him.
Edson asked Pence, given that Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed special counsels in both former President Donald Trump's and President Biden's classified documents sagas, whether he thinks he should be subject to one as well.
"I would leave that decision to the attorney general and the Department of Justice," Pence said, calling the discovery in his Carmel, Indiana, home an "unfortunate development."
MIKE PENCE DISCOVERED CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS IN INDIANA HOME
Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the National Press Club. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
He pledged full cooperation with any investigative apparatus, whether from the National Archives, Justice Department or Congress.
"I remain very confident that during my time in the Congress of the United States, we were very careful and very cautious — as we were during my time as vice president — but again, during the closing days of the administration, when materials were boxed and assembled, some of which were shipped to our personal residence, mistakes were made," Pence explained.
"We were not aware of it at the time until we did the review just a few short weeks ago."
The potential 2024 presidential contender added that he and his post-vice-presidential office were unaware of the existence of the small amount of classified material until a few weeks ago when they reviewed his files.
PENCE CLASSIFIED DOCS DISCOVERY SHOWS NO ONE WILL BE CHARGED: FEDERAL PROSECUTOR
President Biden (Fox News)
"But, I take full responsibility for it, and we're going to continue to support every appropriate inquiry into it."
Fox News' John Roberts pointed out Pence's reaction to classified material discovery was notably different than Biden's. The sitting president has pronounced he has "no regrets" over his situation, while Pence claimed "full responsibility" for his mishap.
In the aftermath of Biden's team discovering classified materials at his Wilmington, Delaware, home and a University of Pennsylvania-linked office in Washington, D.C., Pence's team conducted searches of his own home and offices of his Advancing American Freedom political advocacy group.
On "America Reports," Edson later said he separately asked Pence about his 2024 prospects, to which the former veep said he's still considering throwing his hat in the ring against his onetime boss Trump, currently the only declared candidate.
Questioned about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' landslide re-election over Republican-turned-Democrat Charlie Crist and whether Florida is a model for national races, Pence would only say all GOP governors are doing a good job.
DeSantis is not the only Republican governor or newly-former governor to be considered a potential addition to the presidential field.
Prognosticators have also pointed to former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan — who handed over Annapolis to Democratic Gov. Wes Moore last week and is an outspoken Trump critic — as a potential top contender that would contrast with the real estate mogul's wing of the GOP.
Other gubernatorial names floated for the presidential sweeps include New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Pence himself is a former governor of Indiana.
Fox News' Rich Edson and Kelly Laco contributed to this report.
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