The White House is removing a federal regulation that subjects Office of Administration, which is in charge of archiving emails, to the Freedom of Information Act, claiming that court rulings find its office is not subject to the transparency law.
This comes on the heels of Hillary Clinton’s scandal where she stored years of state emails on her private server.
The exemption of the Office of Administration from the FOIA is listed in the Federal Register as a final rule, meaning that there will be no opportunity for public comment.
The timing of this removal brought some questions to the transparency advocates because it was on National Freedom of Information Day and during the debate over the preservation of Obama administration records. And it’s Sunshine Week, a week where news organization and watchdog groups bring issues of government transparency to the forefront.Anne Weismann of the liberal Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said:
“The irony of this being Sunshine Week is not lost on me.”
For 30 years, the Office of Administration has responded to FOIA requests. Until the Obama administration, groups on the left and right used the records to shed light on how the White House works.
“This is an office that operated under the FOIA for 30 years, and when it became politically inconvenient, they decided they weren’t subject to the Freedom of Information Act any more.” Tom Fitton from Judicial said.
CREW sued over e-mails that were deleted by the White House.
A federal appeals court in Washington ruled that the Office of Administration was not subject to the FOIA in 2009.
The appeals court ruled the White House would be required to archive the e-mails and not release them to the FOIA. Now the White House e-mails must be released under the Presidential Records Act, that will be five years after the end of the administration.
The rule change makes it so there will not be a formal process for the public to request the White House voluntarily disclose records. These records include the White House visitor logs.
The White House didn’t say why it waited almost six years to acknowledge the court ruling of regulations.
Brandi Hoffine, a White House spokeswoman says that the administration remains committed to work towards unprecedented openness in government. She stated:
“Over the past six years, federal agencies have gone to great efforts to make government more transparent and more accessible than ever, including by making information available to the public via our Open Government initiative and improving the FOIA process.”
Rick Blum, coordinator of the Sunshine in Government initiative for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press was not happy with ruling. He says the bigger issue is the that the Office of Administration is responsible for record-keeping. With the Clinton e-mail controversy, there should be more scrutiny of the record-keeping practices he thought.
“I think what we’ve all learned in the last few weeks is the person who creates a record–whether it’s running a program or writing an e-mail–is the one who gets to decide whether it’s an official record,” Blum said. “And there ought to be another set of eyes on that. That’s the essential problem.”
wow
Nice to be able to pick and choose what laws you will abide by.
And you all think the people are ok with that. Thank God your time is short. Time the people take back our Government.
It’s called TAKIA and Obama is a Muslim by his own words _ and Farrakan is his Iman calling for the death of all Whites and non – Muslims .
Tyrannical regimes depend on secrecy! Because if “we the people” knew what they were really doing, we’d throw everyone of the crooks out!
the hell they do
Oboma hates Americans who cling to Guns and Religion!
28 Mandates and Directives aimed at diminishing Christianity and continuing, this language is even in the ObomaCare Act!
If your not in a Union with Oboma, then his Executive Orders and Directives will label you a domestic terrorist.
The incidents of Ferguson and Baltimore has shown America that Oboma intends to nationalize our State and Local Police. Allowing further crime to spread through the every city until the communities cry for the Federal government to intervene.
There is nothing stoping Oboma from implementing Marshall law but he needs you to cry for civil order!
A review of Oboma’s fast moves to crush Resistance.
*Nov 9, 2011-First ever Nation Wide test of the Emergency Alert System ( E.A.S. ).
Q: has there ever been a tornado in all 50 States at the same time?
*Nov 18 2011-National Continuity Programs Expanded-Over stepping the Cons$#%&!@*ution. Continuity of Operations, ( C.O.O.P. ) and Continuity of Government ( C.O.G. ); minimizing the disruption of and maintaining essential government operations both federal and local, in times of national crisis or emergency. C.O.G. Is authorized to use the most advanced civilian and military technology to aid in it’s efforts surveillance and terminating resistance, such as “Blue Force” technology.
Q: do you think reverting back to stone-age tactics will keep you safe in a cave?
*Dec 1 2011-The National Defense Authorization Act (N.D.A.A.) Authorizes the Military to hold you indefinite without trial “a person who was or part of a group or $#%&!@*ociated forces that are engaged in hostilities against the United States.
*Dec 8 2011-Strategic Implementation Plan for Empowering Local Partners to prevent Violent Extremism, in the USA.
Q: is there a Counter Violent Quick Reactionary Force aimed at you?
*Dec 31, 2011-deceitfully Oboma signs into law the N.D.A.A., when our nation is busy tuning in the New Year!
*Feb 14, 2012-Oboma signs into law H.R. 658; Federal Aviation Administration Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act. This law authorizes Homeland Security, F.E.M.A. and many more of the government public safety agencies to fly “Drones” in the United States Air Space, without probable cause!
Q: Was F.E.M.A.’s request for 33,000 Drones intended for your backyard?
*Friday, Mar 16, 2012-Oboma releases the Liberty killing Executive Order : 13603, National Defense Resource Preparedness. The White House releases this Law late on Friday, avoiding the news cycle and the attention of the public. To cover-up this diabolical law, the following Monday morning, on March 19, 2012 a “White Racist Kills a Little Black Boy,” a month old Florida case of self defense “Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman Shooting suddenly broke out of nowhere, driving the tensions of suspension and hatred for months 24/7. Covering up Oboma’s dangerous tyrannical E.O. 13603.
If enouph people decide to to not pay taxes then eventually the gov will run out of $$$$.
http://aclj.org/
we are being taken down from ”Within”….