Ashley Williams told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that the White House process she observed for delivering briefing and decision materials to the president was routine, that staff-secretary and Oval Office operations were responsible for compiling and delivering those books, and that she did not observe classified documents at the Penn Biden Center when she visited to review boxes of personal materials.

Williams described the standard roles she witnessed: the staff secretary’s office compiled briefing and decision memos into physical binders; the Oval Office operations team ensured the president received those materials at the Oval; and, when appropriate, residence staff could accept or deliver materials to the residence. She said briefing books were typically prepared for the next day and delivered in the evening; decision books arrived as needed and could be updated overnight.

Asked whether a formal log tracked every person who handled a decision binder, Williams said she was not aware of a specific log and could not recall a comprehensive chain-of-custody record for every handoff. “I am not aware of a log,” she told the committee. She also told lawmakers she did not recall seeing a decision book marked as classified during her tenure.

On the Penn Biden Center, Williams confirmed she visited in October 2022 at the request of Anthony Bernal to help “assess files and look at boxes.” She said she found personal stationery and other personal items but said she had no knowledge of classified documents there. When asked directly whether anyone had told her to expect classified materials at the Penn Biden Center, she replied no and reiterated that she did not see classified documents during her visit.

Williams emphasized limits to her memory on some granular details but described the typical workflow for decision and briefing materials and said staff acted to ensure the president had what he needed to make timely decisions.

Her account leaves several documentary questions outstanding for oversight staff: Williams repeatedly volunteered that she could not recall specific dates or whether particular senior officials physically returned books on specific occasions, and she said the staff secretary’s office was responsible for verifying that materials were complete when returned.