Although I should've noticed this before, it was recently pointed out that the Reagan Administration is the first one to be subject to the Presidential Records Act. It makes me wonder if there might be some specific bit of dirt that President Bush was trying to protect when he signed the Executive order to block the release of the documents. With old Iran-Contra figures like Eliot Abrams back in the administration, it could be just about anything. Not to mention Dick Cheney's dirty secrets.
Happily, a group of Congressmen from both parties are backing a bill introduced by Rep. Stephen Horn (R-Calif) restoring the Presidential Records Act, and preventing the President from barring the release of records not already protected under the act. With luck this will get passed, but it isn't likely that it will get signed into law. It'll provide some fun ammunition when election season rolls around, though.
Hiding the records seems to be part of a pattern for this Administration. Dick Cheney broke open meeting laws and is refusing to release documents to the GAO, the Social Security Task Force broke into subgroups to avoid having open meetings, the President refuses to allow Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge to testify before Congress, not even Congress was told about the "secret government" the Administration set up. The Justice Department is helping government agencies fight all FOIA requests as a matter of procedure.
I could've sworn that this was a government of the people, by the people, for the people....
Posted by Chris at April 24, 2002 11:38 AM