As if we couldn't figure out why ex-Presidents all open libraries. Even the ex-idiots.
Obama fails again to honor his word.
Washington, DC, March 15, 2010 - Despite President Barack Obama's and Attorney General Eric Holder's 2009 memoranda calling for reform in government agencies' administration of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the latest government-wide FOIA Audit released today by the National Security Archive at George Washington University found:
- Ancient requests--as old as 18 years--still persist in the FOIA system.
- A minority of agencies have responded to the Obama and Holder Memos with concrete changes in their FOIA practices.
- Only four out of 28 agencies reporting--including Holder's own Justice Department--show releases up and denials down under the FOIA.
The Audit, which is based on data obtained from government agencies through FOIA requests filed by the Archive in September 2009, found that federal agencies had a wide range of responses to the Obama and Holder Memos. Some agencies (13 out of 90) implemented concrete changes in practice as a result of the memos; some (14 out of 90) have made changes in staff training; and still others (11 out of 90) have merely circulated and discussed the memos. The remaining agencies (52) either told the Archive that they have no records that demonstrate how they implemented the Obama and Holder Memos or did not respond at all to the FOIA request.
The report also shows several agencies have severe backlogs in processing FOIA requests, with some requests as old as 18 years. Presidential Libraries are facing some of the greatest challenges processing old requests--the libraries for Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton all have requests pending from the first year they began accepting records requests from the public.
National Security Archive Director Tom Blanton said the Audit makes it clear that too many government agencies are falling short of the goals set out by President Obama. "It is time for a 'No FOIA Request Left Behind' initiative," Blanton said.
Meredith Fuchs, the Archive's General Counsel, said the Audit shows the Obama Administration and federal agencies have their work cut out for them on the transparency front. "One year is too early to render a final judgment on how far President Obama can move the government toward openness, but this Audit finds that much more pressure and leadership will be necessary, both inside and outside the government," Fuchs said.
Openness and transparency in Government? HAHAHA!
ReplyDeleteIt is like with the Mafia, or the CIA -- no one doing dark deeds is going to allow the light to shine on them. FACT.
WHERE can we ever find the Truth, Puddy?
Unfortunately, you can only make a guess from an autopsy.
I believe it will come down to Bizarro Journalism Boom. Meaning we will have to assume the opposite of every media report or FOIA documents.
ReplyDeleteI have been cataloguing everything from FOIA and requested hundreds of files personally. Twenty years ago you could get far better information than you can today. The crap trickling out now is pathetic.
It is so censored and so innocuous that it doesn't even warrant publishing. The release of information was greatly effected by legislation that gave Presidential power to hide, hold and refuse release.
Reagan was the last President who opted for more openess. The Box gang quickly put an end to that when Magog got into office.
And email and document shredding was a Rove specialty. We can still put the puzzle together but will find it much harder to indict these traitors.
I think that GWB library is where he put the Constitution.
ReplyDeleteLOL laudy.. good one !
ReplyDelete