Most transparent administration ever adopts Bush visitor log policy
Didn’t Obama tell his followers to elect him so they didn’t get four more years of Bush?
Oops:
Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is filing a complaint against the Department of Homeland Security based on the refusal of the Secret Service to provide CREW with White House visitor records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). CREW sought records of visits by top coal executives in an effort to learn the extent to which these individuals may have influenced the administration’s energy policy. Taking the exact same position as the Bush administration, the Obama administration claimed the records are presidential, not agency records, and otherwise exempt in their entirety because of the possibility in some instances they could reveal information protected by the presidential communications privilege. In prior litigation U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth agreed with CREW that the records are agency records that must be disclosed under the FOIA.
Related story at MSNBC.com:
The Bush position was rejected in December 2007 by Judge Lamberth, a former federal prosecutor who was appointed to the bench by President Ronald Reagan. Lamberth gave the White House 20 days to hand over the public records. But CREW did not get the visitor logs.
In September 2008, Homeland Security said that it did not plan to release the visitor logs, claiming that the visitor logs were protected by the presidential communication privilege in the law.
Judge Lamberth ruled again, denying that claim on Jan. 9. The judge wrote that a simple list of visitors is not a communication at all, because it includes no details on the topics discussed during a meeting, and therefore is not protected by a presidential communication privilege.
The Bush administration appealed on Jan. 14, a week before the end of President Bush’s term of office.
In late January and again in May, the Obama administration had opportunities to change course, when it filed papers in the appeals court, but stuck with the Bush position.
In February, the White House spokesman, LaBolt, told msnbc.com that the policy was under review. “We are reviewing our policy on access to visitor logs and related litigation involving the previous administration to determine how we can ensure that policymaking in this administration happens in an open and transparent way, and that we take appropriate measures to ensure that we are operating in a secure environment.”
But last week, in denial letters to msnbc.com and CREW, the Secret Service continued to cite the Bush position.
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Categories: Barack Obama, Double standards
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The difference – Obama has judges in his hip pocket and he won remember?!
Secret Service under the bus in 10… 9… 8…
If releasing records doesn’t serve Obama’s politics, it won’t happen.
Who expects anything else from a politician?
zero will allow no one to expose who makes his decisions for him.
He just wants to hide what
dirty jewzionist is controling his actions./not very reverand wright mode off.
One thing that is becoming increasingly transparent…this administration is digging its own grave, and very quickly. They apparently think they are invincible and unstoppable. They are making hay while they can and when they fall, it will be swift and hard. Mark my words…they are going down.
Obama is getting all of his orders directly from Soros, and even The One is not always in agreement. There are a few things he is doing that are making sense, like the “torture” photos, etc. But when I look at the POTUS giving a speech, he seems almost mechanical. His eyes don’t have much behind them. I think he might be a robot or a zombie. Chap…feel free to jump in here.
I can tell you who’s on the Visitor Log …
Rev. Wright
Bill Ayers
Charles Gibson
just to name a few.
From your mouth to God’s ears.
And I hope meticulous, thorough documentation is being kept of all that all of them – the administration and the rest of the socialists, statists, collectivists, America-haters, domestic enemies, etc. – are doing;
so that, whether they are followed by a civilian government of elected grown-ups, or by a government under martial law, they can be thoroughly, fairly, and swiftly prosecuted for their misdeeds.
What’s your problem? He’s governing like Bush. You should be happy.
Then lets send them more shovels. The quicker they bury themselves, the better off this country will be.
LGM: LOL this must be a tough one for you, he is acting like bush yet you must defend that.
And not surprisingly, you miss the point. Or maybe ignore the truth as Obama does.
Obama ridicules Bush, then realizes Bush was right and he (Obama) was wrong. But Obama won’t admit it. That makes Obama a hypocrite. Which by the way, is probably the nicest thing that can be said about the man.
So I guess you mean to say that the outright lies are not a problem, eh lgm? figures.
Excellent point! Also, people like lgm are so focused on Bush hatred they aren’t even listening when we say we don’t support many of the things Bush did either. This is not about Party, but about what is right and what isn’t. That is quite common on the left. To continue to believe this is a Democrat vs Republican country. No. It. Isn’t.
Is crazy uncle JJ Wright really a “guest”?
Gee, LGM, I don’t remember Bush controlling the auto industry, giving government new powers to seize key companies, or having a major network broadcast from the White House.
What makes you think I want The big 0 governing like Bush? Although it might be less catastrophic to the Constitution.
Pres Obama should release the logs in an effort to establish transparency. Also, post the bills on line before signing them.
Based on that comment, I’d expect you to be right in their criticizing Obama the same way you did Bush (and still are). Typical liberal hypocrite.
I’d be happy with seeing a basic paper trail of his life.
Although I don’t think he was born overseas, obama should give up his full birth certificate, if nothing else it would stop the birth certificate diversion. It would take 2 seconds and cost nothing.
Well maybe 15 bucks for an offical copy.
Agreed.
Which is precisely what indicates that he and the rest of the socialists have something – something enormous – to hide.
…and no 19-year-old frat-boy risque jokes!
It only seems reasonable for him to produce the long form of his birth certificate.
The Senate questioned McCain’s natural born citizenship, place of birth, etc. If I remember correctly, there were two Senators running for the Presidency. Why was only one investigated when both had questionable circumstances surrounding their birth – especially Obama. At least we knew McCain’s parents were U.S. Citizens deployed to another country while serving in the U.S. Military.
Michelle,
So his lack of transparency bothers you when he doesn’t reveal a list of visitors, but not when he stubbornly refuses to release his birth certificate for over a full year despite lawsuits and citizen petitions?
Welcome to the party, gal. Or are you still giving Obama a pass?
Nice of you to admit that a vote for Odingleballs was a vote for 4 more years of Booooosh, although I’m sure you’ll also admit that it’s going to seem like a lot, lot longer.
Anyway, I look forward to your invective directed toward Bush 44; it should make for good reading. You know, bombing innocent women and children in pokkeeestahn, wiretapping, military tribunals for Gitmo POW’s, inter alia. Lots of material for ya, have at it! Where do you think you will start?
What has Obama done that is contrary to Bush, apart from wanting to release Gito terrorist detainees into the American public and looking like Woody Allen in front of nations who want to destroy us?
“Change”–ain’t it wonderful?
Similarities here?
The Obamites are playing the role of “Lennie,” from the Steinbeck novel, Of Mice and Men. “Duh-h-h, tell me about da rabbits, George!!”
Due to his mild mental disability, Lennie completely depends upon George (Obama), his friend and traveling companion, for guidance and protection. Except in this story, (George) Obama and followers (Lennie) share a vision of a fascist country that they will own together, a vision that Lennie believes in wholeheartedly. But he’s an idiot, and believes everything his buddy tells him.
Of course, George, like Obama, is being dishonest, and looking out for his own self-interest. He ignores his own narcissistic impulses, and uses Lennie for protection as the journey to “utopia” unfolds.
Yeah, Obama is like Bush…r-i-g-h-t!
I have just returned from perusing the top left leaning websites (so you don’t have to) to see what the obama worshipful have been saying. LOL! There is hope folks. Nays are well outnumbering the Yays. Some may actually be getting a clue of what they have wrought back in Nov. A few more broken promises (this one being the promise of “tranparency”) and he may be kissing the hardliners bye-bye. Many same site multiple threads of a dozen or so comments…..but the numbers are growing.
Responsibility and Ethics in Washington?
Responsibility and Ethics? In Washington?!!?!?!?!
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No wonder many of us can’t tell the difference anymore between the two parties.
Then there’s this:
Can I tell this to all the wonderful, tolerant Obummer supporters in the black community I live in?
Also, can I nominate this as most clueless post of the day? What do you say?
Apparently, there are those on the other side who would agree with you, Michelle: