Posted on 10/01/2007 7:37:10 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Presidents don't have indefinite veto power over which records are made public after they've left office, a federal judge ruled Monday.
In a narrowly crafted ruling, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly invalidated part of President Bush's 2001 executive order, which allowed former presidents and vice presidents to review executive records before they are released under the Freedom of Information Act.
By law, the National Archives has the final say over the release of presidential records and Kollar-Kotelly ruled that Bush's executive order "effectively eliminates" that discretion. It allows former presidents to delay the release of records "presumably indefinitely," she said.
The judge ordered the National Archives not to withhold any more documents based on that section of the executive order.
The ruling was made in a lawsuit filed by the American Historical Association and other organizations, which argued that Bush's Executive Order 13,233 was an "impermissible exercise of the executive power."
The judge dismissed most of the claims and sidestepped some of the loftier questions, such as whether the entire order was unconstitutional or whether former presidents can claim executive privilege as grounds for withholding documents.
Spokeswoman Emily Lawrimore said the White House was reviewing the opinion and considering its options.
Some historians and researches said the executive order delayed access to historical documents. The National Security Archive, a private group advocating public disclosure of government secrets, is awaiting the release of records that are being reviewed by former President Reagan's representatives. The average delay caused by a former president's review is nearly six months.
"The court is enforcing procedural standards, but has avoided the hard questions about the role former presidents, former vice presidents, and their heirs can play when it comes to disclosure of presidential records," said Meredith Fuchs, the counsel for the group. "Unless the executive order is reversed or withdrawn, decisions about the release of records from this administration may ultimately be made by the Bush daughters."
A bill that would overturn the order passed the House in March and is pending in the Senate.
Bubba, call your office..........you know, the one in Harlem?........
Time to see all the pay-for-pardons records from BJs last days in the WH, if they haven’t been shredded already.
Slick willie is much to clever to leave a trail like that. There will be some connections, but it will all depend on what your definition of "is" is.
Guess that means Sandy "Hamburgler" will be busy soon
Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly
A Clinton Appointee.
I don't think he's as clever as he's given credit for. It's just he has a lot of protection by the fellow travelers in the press corps and Hollywood.
I remember some guy from Hollywood on O'Reilly years and years ago claiming Clinton was one of the smartest presidents ever because of his ideas but when O'Reilly asked him for examples of this intelligence all the Hollywood big-wig could do was stammer.
This was back in the 1990's as far as I can remember during a week when the show was being done in L.A.
The “clean-up” on aisle 14 has already been completed.
I forgot about this EO also. Specifically crafted to protect GHW Bush and Clinton.
I am always amazed when people say that about the Bush and Clinton clans.
Ever heard of the little airport in Mena, Arkansas? There was this little CIA airplane smuggling weapons to the Contras in Nicaragua, then carrying cocaine on the return trip. Some of the cocaine went to the Governor’s Mansion, and the rest was couriered down to Texas.
No one, to my knowledge, has ever publicly stated who recieved the cocaine in Texas. But the then Vice President G. Bush (Senior) had been a past Director of the CIA. The connections between the two clans is strange. I’ve always suspected that the Clintons get away with slamming the Bushies only because they have no sense of shame.
So now Klintoon’s going to have to release the information on Whitewater...and the Chinse contributions...and Castle Grande...and Vince Foster...and Travelgate...and Filegate...and, gee, I’ve lost track of them all.
They’re probably already destroyed.
Or in Sandy Burglar’s butt.
Or in the trunk of some car that is about to be crushed.
FOIA requests out the wazoo. Let’s get as much on these things as we can while Hitlery’s running.
I wonder if this includes BJ’s information on BJs.
So, can I take a stroll through the taxpayer-owned Ford Building now?
Executive orders have changed the law in the past, what makes this on different?
I thought it was down his drawers - in any event TMI
On another topic, did you happen to see this thread from about six weeks ago?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1879860/posts
No, but it is an old story and one with which I am familiar. In 1992 I bought a video called “The Clinton Chronicles”. I showed it to many people. On it was the story of the Mena Airport and the connection between the Clinton and Bush clans.
I really, really, didn’t want to vote for Dubya, but I’m a faithful Republican, especially when considering who consists of the opposition.
Sounds like we’re pretty much on the same page.
FRegards,
LH
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