Over 300 public-records lawsuits filed in Obama’s first year

obamafacepalmTransparency? The so called “most transparent administration ever” had more than 300 lawsuits filed under the Freedom of Information Act against it in its first year, which tops the last TWO years of the Bush Administration. There were 278 records suits filed in 2007 and 298 in 2008 according to the Washington Post. Not bad for your first year on the job eh?

In case after case, the plaintiffs say little has changed since the Bush administration years, when most began their quests for records. Agencies still often fight requests for disclosure, contending that national security and internal decision-making need to be protected.

The lawsuits cover a wide range of issues. A retired Marine wants to review soldier autopsies to learn whether the Pentagon has issued defective body armor. A Texas law professor questions whether the location of the U.S.-Mexico border fence unfairly harmed minority landowners. Closer to home, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation continues its battle to learn whether agencies are properly punishing those who destroy wetlands.

Despite the administration’s opening scores of documents, court dockets show a slight increase in the number of lawsuits — 319 — filed under the Freedom of Information Act since Obama was sworn into office last January. In the final two years of the Bush administration, by comparison, there were 278 records suits filed in 2007 and 298 in 2008. People seeking records can sue only after the government repeatedly rejects their requests, usually after months of attempts and appeals.

The White House disputes the numbers in the court logs. It says the Justice Department’s own figures show that 328 records lawsuits were filed in 2008 and 306 in 2009. Justice Department officials say the difference could be because some cases are mislabeled in court records, and because others never show up in the agency’s count because the department does not get involved.
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White House officials say the release of huge volumes of records — including once-secret Bush administration memos on interrogation methods, White House visitor logs and data about birds endangering planes — has been nothing short of historic. They argue that a year’s worth of lawsuits does not reflect the commitment to transparency.

“During the course of the president’s first year in office, more has been done than ever before to make our government open and transparent,” said White House spokesman Ben LaBolt.

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January 30, 2010 · Filed Under Barack HUSSEIN Obama


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