Bush reversed on archive secrecy


A federal judge has tossed out part of a 2001 order by President George W. Bush that lets former presidents keep some of their presidential papers secret indefinitely.


A federal judge has tossed out part of a 2001 order by President George W. Bush that lets former presidents keep some of their presidential papers secret indefinitely.

“The Bush Order effectively eliminated the archivist’s discretion to release a former president’s documents while such documents are pending a former president’s review, which can be extended — presumably indefinitely,” Kollar-Kotelly wrote in a 38-page ruling.

Meredith Fuchs, general counsel for the National Security Archive, said the court had avoided “the hard questions” about the role former presidents, former vice presidents, and their heirs can play when it comes to disclosure of presidential records.

“Unless the executive order is reversed or withdrawn, decisions about the release of records from this administration may ultimately be made by the Bush daughters,” Fuchs said in a statement.

Anyone presume they will care any more about an informed electorate than daddy has?

Posted: Tue - October 2, 2007 at 06:18 AM