Obama administration bids to keep White House visitor logs from public

The Obama administration is appealing a judge’s ruling that Secret Service records of White House visitors come under the Freedom of Information Act and must be disclosed to the public. The Justice Department claims the records are presidential records not agency records so not subject to the FOIA. -db From Politico, October 14, 2011, by [...]

Federal ruling helps newspapers bid for California legislative expenses

A new federal ruling extended the application of the Freedom of Information Act bolstering the attempts of California newspapers to obtain records of California lawmakers’ budget allowances and expenditures. The newspapers were petitioning for the records under the state’s Legislative Open Records Act. The federal district court ruling came down in August when the judge [...]

Federal court says White House visitor logs are public information

A federal district court in Washington, D.C. ruled that White House visitor logs are a part of the public record and subject to the Freedom of Information Act. The Secret Service had argued that the logs were not agency records under the FOIA but White House records so under the Presidential Records Act. It also [...]

Obama administration claims visitor logs exempt from Freedom of Information Act

Despite district court holdings to the contrary, in a recent court filing the Obama Justice Department claimed that White House visitor logs are exempt from the FOIA. -db Judicial Watch Press Release April 29, 2010 WASHINGTON, D.C.– Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that the Obama Justice [...]

Under Obama federal agencies still fighting record requests

The Washington Post reports that federal agencies are still balking at releasing records to the public, claiming that it would interfere with internal decision-making or compromise national security. In Obama’s first year, the number of Freedom of  Information Act lawsuits filed exceeds the number filed in each of Bush’s last two years. -DB The Washington [...]

Obama administration releases September White House visitor logs

In a move that signals a change in practice from a year ago, the Obama administration released its log of White House visitors for September 16-30 along with 2,000 records from before September 16. -DB Sunlight Foundation Commentary December 30, 2009 By Daniel Schuman Today the White House released its log of White House visitors [...]

Secret Service denies access to 2009 White House visitor records

After the Obama administration agreed to start releasing visitor logs starting December 31,  the watchdog group Judicial Watch was denied access to White House visitor logs from January 20 through September 15 of this year and does not understand why only these records merit protection. The Secret Service just says the records do not come [...]

Obama administration agrees to make White House visitor logs public

To end four lawsuits by a watchdog group, the Obama White House has reversed a policy keeping visitor logs secret now allowing news organizations and others a chance to see who is influencing administration policy on vital issues. -DB USA TODAY September 4, 2009 By Richard Wolf WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Obama administration plans to change [...]