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'Most Transparent' White House Dumps FOIA Regulations for Itself
usnews.com ^ | March 17, 2015 | 6:56 p.m. EDT | Steven Nelson

Posted on 03/17/2015 9:46:43 PM PDT by Syncro

'Most Transparent' White House Dumps FOIA Regulations for Itself

Transparency advocates hammer Obama administration for change.

President Barack Obama says he's running the most transparent administration in history, but transparency advocates aren't applauding.

President Barack Obama says he's running the most transparent administration in history, but transparency advocates aren't applauding.

By

March 17, 2015 | 6:56 p.m. EDT

The Obama administration announced Tuesday it will ditch regulations that subjected large portions of White House correspondence to public records requests, a decision derided by transparency advocates who wryly noted it was issued during a week celebrating open access to government.

The notice exempting the White House's Office of Administration from the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act was contained in Tuesday's Federal Register, reversing a three-decade-old policy during Sunshine Week, the annual celebration of the FOIA law.

Anne Weismann, interim executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), says the step "makes mockery of the administration’s commitment to transparency, especially given that it's Sunshine Week.”

“The White House has reversed a decades long practice of opening the files of [the Office of Administration] to the public,” she says. “Apparently they have abandoned even the appearance of transparency."

[READ: Obama Won't Disclose Spy Agency Budgets]

USA Today reports the change formalizes a 2009 appeals court ruling that found CREW did not deserve access to millions of Bush White House emails because the office is not subject to FOIA.

The appeals court ruled the White House still has to preserve emails under a different law, the Presidential Records Act, for release at least five years after the end of a presidential administration.

"This rule is published solely to align relevant provisions of the Code of Federal Regulations with well-settled law," the administration's public notice says, and therefore it does not require public comment or a 30-day delay in implementation.

Tom Fitton, president of the conservative transparency group Judicial Watch, tells U.S. News he doubts the move is merely long-overdue housekeeping.

[WATCHDOGS: Obama Administration Became Less Transparent Before Election]

“I have no doubt this move is to try to cut off any public inquiry into Barack Obama’s emails,” Fitton says. “We won’t be put off and are taking steps to find out what the White House wants to hide about the president’s emails.”

The White House has won other battles against transparency activists, such as a 2013 appeals court ruling against Judicial Watch that found the White House is not required to release its visitor logs. The White House began voluntarily releasing some visitor logs dated from Sept. 15, 2009, after a district court ruled in favor of a lawsuit from CREW that sought mandatory disclosure.

"I continue to be mystified as to how this administration, which came to office on the promise of positive change and transparency, continues to promulgate policies that are antithetical to that aim," says Jack Abramoff, a former Republican lobbyist who emerged from prison a transparency advocate. "Unless there are real national security issues involved, how can President Obama permit this?"


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alreadyposted; cultureofcorruption; foia; impeach; obama; obamabreakspromises; obamalied; smidgen; transparent
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The rest of the article:
Obama has on several occasions claimed to run the most transparent administration in U.S. history – an often-ridiculed assertion due to its unprecedented crackdown on leaks to the press and its withholding of documents relating to scandals, mass surveillance and policies such as assassinating U.S. citizens.

On Monday, Department of Justice leaders hailed Obama as a transparency pioneer at an event celebrating official openness.

“The president compared transparency to sunlight, laying the groundwork for what we celebrate today,” Melanie Pustay, director of the Justice Department’s Office of Information Policy, said at the event, before the announced change.


1 posted on 03/17/2015 9:46:43 PM PDT by Syncro
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To: Syncro

And we don’t think we are under a dictatorship ... fools we.


2 posted on 03/17/2015 9:48:36 PM PDT by doc1019 (Blue lives matter)
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To: All
Of course Obama has no shame, and flaunts his hypocrisy like a sharp stick in the eye.

In this case...

“...it was issued during a week celebrating open access to government.

3 posted on 03/17/2015 9:48:37 PM PDT by Syncro (Benghazi-LIES/CoverupIRS-LIES/CoverupDOJ-NO Justice-/Marxist Treason IMPEACH!)
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To: Syncro

How can they make rules exempting themselves for FOIA laws. Can I exempt myself from laws I don’t like??


4 posted on 03/17/2015 9:49:25 PM PDT by fhayek
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I’m still curious about his college grades.


5 posted on 03/17/2015 9:49:52 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: fhayek

Rules for thee but not for me.

That’s one reason most people get into politics.


6 posted on 03/17/2015 9:51:03 PM PDT by Syncro (Benghazi-LIES/CoverupIRS-LIES/CoverupDOJ-NO Justice-/Marxist Treason IMPEACH!)
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To: Gene Eric

He was too busy being prepped by his commie handlers for the presidency to take any classes.

I’m sure there is a forged transcript out there somewhere.


7 posted on 03/17/2015 9:52:53 PM PDT by Syncro (Benghazi-LIES/CoverupIRS-LIES/CoverupDOJ-NO Justice-/Marxist Treason IMPEACH!)
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To: Syncro

If he was on another ballot, I guarantee he would be elected again.


8 posted on 03/17/2015 9:58:41 PM PDT by Veggie Todd (The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. TJ)
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To: Veggie Todd; All

Yes, voter fraud is a tool used well and often in the last few elections.

Millions of illegal aliens voting along with millions of ACORN inspired votes.

The GOPe thinks they can get some of the illegal votes sent their way, so they won’t fight against the fraud.

Obama just brought in 10’s if not 100’s of thousand new voters over our southern border.

The dem voter fraud can’t be overcome at this point.

This is part of the Third World War. WWIII

We are in it now.


9 posted on 03/17/2015 10:10:31 PM PDT by Syncro (Benghazi-LIES/CoverupIRS-LIES/CoverupDOJ-NO Justice-/Marxist Treason IMPEACH!)
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To: fhayek

[[Can I exempt myself from laws I don’t like??]]

No because you are not god-like


10 posted on 03/17/2015 10:12:35 PM PDT by Bob434
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To: Syncro
The GOPe thinks they can get some of the illegal votes sent their way, so they won’t fight against the fraud.

Wrong. They are bound by a consent decree.

11 posted on 03/17/2015 10:14:40 PM PDT by Carry_Okie (The tree of liberty needs a rope.)
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To: Syncro

well let’s see now,

1: Control the internet

2: Control people via a scam ‘man-caused global wamrting’ fraud

3: Dictate to the people what is ‘fair’ and what isn’t

4: Take over the police force via federal police policies

5: Go after conservatives, Christians etc via the IRS

6: IGNORE congress and do everything via executive order

7: Intimidate the supreme court into voting for your unconstitutional policies

8: Stir up racial hatred In this country

9: Ruin businesses by driving up costs due to draconian rules regulations and taxes

10: Finally declare that you don’t have to provide any information fia the FOIA

Yep- We’re so glad this country elected a person to represent US- Thanks all you gimmedats who voted for this fella!


12 posted on 03/17/2015 10:18:33 PM PDT by Bob434
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To: Syncro

In the interest of smaller, simpler government, let me suggest they shorten the FOIA to just “FO”.

And no, it no longer means “Freedom Of”...


13 posted on 03/17/2015 10:24:51 PM PDT by bigbob (The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly. Abraham Lincoln)
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To: Carry_Okie

I’m aware of that, thanks for bring it to the thread.

There are ways to get around that if the GOP really wanted to.

And the fact that it exists does not make my statement “wrong.”


14 posted on 03/17/2015 10:25:21 PM PDT by Syncro (Benghazi-LIES/CoverupIRS-LIES/CoverupDOJ-NO Justice-/Marxist Treason IMPEACH!)
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To: bigbob

LOL FO ....FO BO FOBO

FUBO


15 posted on 03/17/2015 10:27:09 PM PDT by Syncro (Benghazi-LIES/CoverupIRS-LIES/CoverupDOJ-NO Justice-/Marxist Treason IMPEACH!)
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To: Syncro
There are ways to get around that if the GOP really wanted to.

Like what? SCOTUS said "no."

I guess the Party could reincorporate. What I don't know is if GOP organizations can file suit within their States without coming under the consent decree. I would assume State AGs can bring criminal charges. I don't know about the DOJ but I would assume they can too.

16 posted on 03/17/2015 10:31:51 PM PDT by Carry_Okie (The tree of liberty needs a rope.)
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To: Syncro

BTW, after what McConnell and crew did in Mississippi to reseat Thad Cochran, they have a hell of a lot of chutzpah complaining about vote fraud.


17 posted on 03/17/2015 10:33:51 PM PDT by Carry_Okie (The tree of liberty needs a rope.)
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To: Syncro

I wish people would wake up and realize why the DemocRATS always say: “We are going to be the most transparent administration ever”.

The answer is: They say that because they want you to assume the other guy WAS NOT TRANSPARENT. This accusation of hiding things is always heaped upon an outgoing admin; that is the goal. You know - don’t look at me - look over there.

The Clintons did it when they were elected; and then the Obamas did it too. SEEMS TO BE ONLY THE DemocRATS who make such a declaration. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm? Selah!

So, if you’re really expecting any DemocRAT to really be transparent; you haven’t been paying attention.


18 posted on 03/17/2015 10:40:27 PM PDT by CyberAnt ("The hour has arrived to gather the Harvest")
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To: Syncro
I'm not sure why people have trouble accepting Obola's transparency., I see right through him.

He's an America-hating tyrant who thinks the rules don't apply to him.

19 posted on 03/17/2015 10:46:06 PM PDT by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
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To: fhayek

It will be a longgggg time before another black man becomes president hecause of this fool...


20 posted on 03/17/2015 11:02:32 PM PDT by jsanders2001
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