[QUOTE]The White House is removing a federal regulation that subjects its Office of Administration to the Freedom of Information Act, making official a policy under Presidents Bush and Obama to reject requests for records to that office.[/QUOTE]
On National Freedom of Information Day, the White House announced that its Office of Administration will be exempt from the Freedom of Information Act
[URL]http://www.kgw.com/story/news/politics/2015/03/16/white-house-foia-regulations-deleted/24844253/[/URL]
this is a bad one, I hope it gets challenged very swiftly
You can't do that.....
Why doesn't this surprise me?
the worst part is that the vast majority of the country is too apathetic to care or to realize just how bad this is.
How does FOIA work in the US?
If the White House was not exempt, would that mean anyone can request information on anything the White House does? That wouldn't be the best for national security...
Maybe time limited confidentiality could be a solution?
[QUOTE=Superwafflez;47338294]How does FOIA work in the US?
If the White House was not exempt, would that mean anyone can request information on anything the White House does? That wouldn't be the best for national security...
Maybe time limited confidentiality could be a solution?[/QUOTE]
It's similar to the system we have here (Same name too I think), they can reject requests if they think it violates national security, privacy laws, etc. Now they're just saying you can't even request documents from them.
This isn't really new. It's been the policy of the White House for the past fifteen years or so. Bush was the first one to do this during his first term, and then Obama picked it up after he took office. Now they've just formalized it.
What happened to rule of law???
As if I needed another reminder that even though congress cannot pass any good legislation, the government stands united in one thing. Oppressing its own citizens with the most basic variable in life: knowledge.
[QUOTE=Banhfunbags;47338385]What happened to rule of law???[/QUOTE]
They are the law now.
[QUOTE=Superwafflez;47338294]How does FOIA work in the US?
If the White House was not exempt, would that mean anyone can request information on anything the White House does? That wouldn't be the best for national security...
Maybe time limited confidentiality could be a solution?[/QUOTE]
Classified documents fall under a series of rolling statutes of limitation that starts at 10 years and culminates at 75 years. After this, all documents are compulsorily released to the public. Documents declassified before this are usually released with redactions. FOIA requests will result in specific documents being reviewed (practically: censored) for declassification, or simply as a more expedient means of getting technically already declassified but esoteric archival documents.
[editline]17th March 2015[/editline]
Anyone can submit an FOIA request. Last I remember it's a drafted document--you can find templates online--and it hast to be notarized.
[QUOTE=Banhfunbags;47338385]What happened to rule of law???[/QUOTE]
Well it's fair, because neither the White House or the people are required to give information if requested.
Land of the Free™*
[I]*Terms and conditions apply[/I]
Freedom for most!
Don't most requests anyways get back a cryptic letter saying "we may or may not have information about this subject, kthxbye"?
The rest of the White House has been exempt from the FOIA, which is intended to allow people to get access to information concerning the public; things like classified documents or whether or not there's an FBI file on you. Administrative overhead has always been considered outside of the scope of the FOIA, which applies to independent agencies and ensures public accountability for non-democratically-elected entities.
Not only does the article note that this policy is due to a court ruling, not the White House unilaterally declaring immunity to law:
[quote]In 2009, a federal appeals court in Washington ruled that the Office of Administration was not subject to the FOIA, "because it performs only operational and administrative tasks in support of the president and his staff and therefore, under our precedent, lacks substantial independent authority."[/quote]
But it also notes that the requested documents, internal emails, will still be released according to a different legal guideline:
[quote]The appeals court ruled that the White House was required to archive the e-mails, but not release them under the FOIA. Instead, White House e-mails must be released under the Presidential Records Act — but not until at least five years after the end of the administration.[/quote]
I do believe the White House needs independent oversight and public accountability, especially with the recent scandal over Hillary Clinton's email, but this shouldn't be blown out of proportion. As the article notes it's essentially administrative housecleaning.
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