Bush denying access to “the dustbin of history”? Executive order 13233

[Ichingcarpenter]

Some of us progressives have comforted ourselves that after the Bush administration is over, the history books will finally tell the truth. Not so fast. History News Network (George Mason Univ.):

The Bush administration’s Executive Order 13233 underscores the new fact that presidential legacies, once the domain of academic historians and parlor game aficionados, have become a serious business — so much so that a president has mounted a Kremlinesque campaign to stifle the free dissemination of information. The Bush administration is playing for keeps.

Bush’s Executive Order 13233 could change history — literally — by restricting historians’ access to materials that help them document and ultimately judge a president’s actions, lapses, and principles.

Executive Order 13233 gives ex-presidents nearly unlimited discretionary authority to prohibit the release of their papers, and allows them to name designees who can act in their stead. Moreover, a sitting president may also prevent the release of a predecessor’s papers — as Bush has already done with some of Ronald Reagan’s papers — even when the predecessor has authorized his papers’ release. These are radical encroachments on the public’s access to documents that were produced in the public interest, at public expense, by officials elected by the public. Citizens can challenge these decisions in court, but the expense and time commitment will discourage most people from trying.

A House-approved bill that would undo this blatant assault on openness has been held up in the Senate. Even if the measure advances, there is no guarantee that Congress could override Bush’s expected veto.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/03/03/bush-denying-access-to-the-dustbin-of-history/

[spanone]

1. what won't these criminals tamper with? i've spent most of my outrage years ago

[Ichingcarpenter]

3. A Blatant attempt to cover up the crimes of the Bush Crime Family

That is the only reason for this executive order.

[DavidDvorkin]

2. Lotta dirt in that dustbin

Which of course is the motivation behind Bush's action.

[msongs]

4. a new president can issue a NEW executive order cancelling Bush's order nt

[Mountainman]

5. The new Dem President will reverse it.

[TahitiNut]

8. You got that in writing?

I'll expect it when I see it in writing ... and even then I won't bet on it. (That table is awfully small and slippery.)

[Ichingcarpenter]

9. DoJ Confirms: As of Jan 31, 2008, Bill Clinton Holds Key to Release Hillary Clinton’s White House Re

DoJ Confirms: As of Jan 31, 2008, Bill Clinton Holds Key to Release Hillary Clinton’s White House Records

Judicial Watch Open Records Lawsuit Seeks Hillary Clinton’s Daily Schedules

(Washington, DC)– Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that the Department of Justice has confirmed that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is on schedule to process 10,000 pages of Hillary Clinton’s daily schedule records by today, January 31, 2008, pursuant to NARA’s court filing (and promises made during a court hearing last month) in a Judicial Watch lawsuit (Judicial Watch, Inc. v U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Civil Action No: 1:07-cv-01267 (JR)). The decision to immediately release Hillary’s White House records now rests with former President Clinton and his representatives.

“NARA confirms that the Clinton Presidential Library is on track to adhere to the schedule represented to the Court in NARA’s December 3 filing and at the December 17 hearing, and estimates that it will complete processing the daily schedule records by January 31, 2008 and will notify Presidential representatives shortly thereafter,” wrote Justice Department trial attorney Helen Hong in a letter to Judicial Watch dated January 28, 2008. The Archives has the authority to release these documents within 30 days of notifying President Clinton. The Archives will also report to the court the status of this presidential review on March 1, 2008.

http://www.judicialwatch.org/doj-confirms-jan-31-2008-bill-clinton-holds-key-release-hillary-clinton-s-white-house-records

[MiniMe]

21. I believe that there is a certain amount of time before a President's records

become public. Poppy's records were due to become public during Jr's admin, but Jr wrote an executive order to block that, most likely because the same crooks were in Jr's administration. I don't necessarily disagree with that. I think the time delay is because some of the records contain classified information, and 10 years later, that usually isn't an issue. I do object to keeping them secret indefinitely.

And so you know, Judicial Watch is a very right wing organization.

[Ichingcarpenter]

22. Yes, I do know that

but after the slime the Clinton's did today to the
Democratic Party I'm pissed and lashing back.

The fact does remain that the records are still being held by Bill

[blm]

6. Remember they insisted 9-11 commission only go back to 1998? Yet it is certain that many of

the same characters involved were also heavily involved in BCCI agenda.

Had the outstanding matters in BCCI been dealt with openly and with accountability, there would never have BEEN a 9-11 event, let alone the possibility of another Bush back in the White House.

Closed government CAUSED almost every painful thing this country has gone through the last 20 years.

That is why I am so set against putting a Clinton back in, since Clintons side with secrecy and privilege of closed government that has benefitted the Bush crime family and all their powerful cronies.

[Ichingcarpenter]

7. Only two votes from people who realize what this order means

I want fricking open government.

[5X]

10. Make that 3. n/t

[Richard Steele]

11. And now it's four. nm

[blm]

23. You'd be surprised how many Dems and even DUers FEAR siding with open government

because deep down they know that a few popular Dems have contributed greatly to the continuing protection of the secrecy and privilege needed to keep government closed to the American citizen.

[laylah]

12. What a lowlife POS! nt

[wiggs]

13. This is one of the first things he did in office...extended the "secret"

period of presidential papers and as I remember also froze the papers of his father while in office.

Less transparency...day one.

[Ichingcarpenter]

14. Reagan's papers, Clinton papers, Bush I, papers now Bush II papers

Yeah, that's democracy.

[madmom]

15. I had heard that jr bush was the one who "closed" Clinton's papers.

[Ilsa]

16. Thanks. I passed the History News Network site on to some friends.

http://hnn.us/articles/47375.html <---Is the site mentioned in the Crooks and liars article.

[Ilsa]

17. Add this to the list of Bush obscenities and crimes.

For someone who spouts a bunch of crap about democracy for other countries, he really doesn't understand democracy.

K&R

[SpiralHawk]

18. "All data will be stored in my occult crypt. Smirk." - Commander AWOL Bush

[malaise]

19. How many of these documents are already

in Paraguay?

[blm]

24. Important to note that anything that was even TEMPORARILY exposed has been preserved in National

Security Archives.

Though it may never have reached the newsrooms and withdrawn soon after, the NSA would have grabbed it. They are really sharp like that.

[MiniMe]

20. Its an executive order, now a law

How many of Clinton's executive orders were overturned by Bush? I actually don't have the number, but it was a lot of them. Bush can hold his breath and stomp his feet, but the next President can overturn it.

[blm]

25. This is why I only support Open Government Democrats. Hard to believe more citizens don't want

the responsibility of knowing what their government does in their name, but hopefully we can work to change that.