CREW SUES NARA FOR INFORMATION ABOUT CLASSIFICATION OF WHITE HOUSE VISITOR LOGS

[babylonsister]

http://www.citizensforethics.org/press/newsrelease.php?view=189

CREW SUES NARA FOR INFORMATION ABOUT CLASSIFICATION OF WHITE HOUSE VISITOR LOGS

Washington, DC – Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) sued the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for its failure to adequately respond to CREW’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for documents related to the destruction of Secret Service visitor record logs.

On September 27, 2006, CREW filed a FOIA request with NARA asking for communications with the Secret Service in which NARA ordered the Secret Service to stop destroying White House visitor logs. The Secret Service maintains the logs until they are transferred to the White House. CREW filed suit because NARA has refused to provide these records.

CREW became aware of NARA’s order through a lawsuit CREW had filed against the Secret Service, requesting records of visits Jack Abramoff and Abramoff associates had made to the White House and the residence of the vice president.

In a related case, the Secret Service and the White House have claimed that all of the visitor records are presidential, not federal agency records and, therefore, are not subject to public disclosure under the FOIA. NARA is the agency responsible for ensuring that both federal agencies and the President comply with record keeping laws.

“NARA’s blatant refusal to respond to CREW’s FOIA regarding the destruction of important historical documents makes it clear that this administration is intent on keeping the public in the dark about how the White House is conducting the people’s business,” Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW, said today. “What is the White House trying to hide?”

***

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions.

For more information, please visit www.citizensforethics.org or contact Naomi Seligman Steiner at 202.408.5565/[e-mail].

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[Atman]

1. THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE

We, the people, just are not allowed to know who is visiting it.

Holy shit. I wish they could all be sued PERSONALLY for what they've done to our country.

.

[Uben]

2. Wonder if they withheld that info for Clinton

Back when all the stink about people staying overnight at the whitehouse was making rounds, I'm wondering if those records were released then? If so, looks like precedent was set.

[Extend a Hand]

3. there is a huge NARA bldging near my home

that was just built a few years ago. They have a guardhouse and a gate and a big barb wire fence all the way around the thing. I have always wondered why that security was needed :wtf:

[baldguy]

4. The amount of toilet paper used by the White House is classified.

[crickets]

5. Go CREW

Secret Service and the White House have claimed that all of the visitor records are presidential, not federal agency records and, therefore, are not subject to public disclosure under the FOIA.

Oh, everything would be "presidential" if Bush could get away with it. Speaking of which, aren't "presidential records" (visitor logs or whatever) subject to public disclosure anyway? I'm reminded of certain audio tapes...

NARA ordered the Secret Service to stop destroying White House visitor logs.

The only reason for destroying these records would be to hide something. Since when is the destruction of these sorts of records not considered a crime?

You know, the word crime seems to come up a lot when the current resident's name is mentioned. That's so weird. Isn't that weird? :eyes: