Romney Admits He Destroyed Government Records To Keep Them From Political Opponents

[kpete]

.... in a fairly stunning admission today during an interview with the editorial board of the Nashua Telegraph in New Hampshire, Romney suggested that his administration deleted emails because they didn’t want “opposition research teams” to have access to them:


ROMNEY: Well, I think in government we should follow the law. And there has never been an administration that has provided to the opposition research team, or to the public, electronic communications. So ours would have been the first.

MORE:
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/11/21/373627/romney-admits-recordsdestruction/

[Angry Dragon]

1. In reality mitt the public owns those files

You were on the public dime and so you owe the public some money

[Corruption Winz]

2. Well, in one sense, the honesty is actually refreshing..

However, it seems a bit strange that he would admit it. Still, I know he isn't the first and certainly won't be the last. And as much as I appreciate the honesty, it will also be a point that people call him out on. Still, no saying what was said in the e-mails so it's not too big of a deal at this point.

[Scuba]

9. It's a huge deal. n/t

[Corruption Winz]

11. I'm being serious when I ask this...

Does anyone know what was in the e-mails? I genuinely don't. And once again, I am of the firm belief that virtually every major politician has done something similar.

[Scuba]

19. I've no idea what was in them, but destroying government property is wrong...

... regardless if "everybody does it".

[liberal N proud]

3. Images of Nixon flash thorugh my brain

:scared:

[Old and In the Way]

4. Bush/Cheney did the same thing.

The Organized Crime Party can't very well well leave evidence of their crimes behind, can they? It's pretty damn obvious to me that when you run your government e-mail off a Party server and then lose those records, you are covering up a crime.

[Hangingon]

14. As did Bill Clinton

[Old and In the Way]

18. Bill only sent 2 e-mails that I'm aware of.

Here's a link to the laws governing the Clinton Gore records. Of course, this e-mail thing was relatively new in the 90's, but there was an office records act covering all of their correspondence.

http://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/laws/access/email-records-memo.html

Can't seem to find one on Bush/Cheney, though.

I do know that Bush/Cheney and their WH staff used the GOP.com server for official inter-office correspondence and lots of e-mails archives got accidentally lost.

[louis-t]

5. Oh, well, it's ok then.

:eyes:

[arcane1]

6. "there has never been an administration"???

Is he saying they ALL do it?

Funny how he's basically saying that any records of his work would automatically be bad PR if anyone found out.

[eShirl]

7. Isn't that a crime?

[sakabatou]

10. I believe it is.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

8. Wow! K&R

"Mitt Romney Destroyed All Computer Records Before Leaving As Governor Of Massachusetts"
Politics-Nation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3hYMCSZ4I4

[progressoid]

12. I think he just admitted what they ALL do.

Or at least have done to some extent.

[bigwillq]

16. Is he wrong with that admission?

:shrug:

".... they ALL do.

Or at least have done to some extent."

[JDPriestly]

13. Well. We know where he stands on transparency.

[jwirr]

15. But Mitty you destroyed the records - most honest politicians try to

get the courts to say that they cannot be opened to the public. Are you going to destroy federal records when you do not want them seen?

[dtexdem]

17. But, mom, everybody else is doing it.

So it can't be illegal, right?

;-)

[Omaha Steve]

20. K&R!

[shanti]

21. they all do

when they reach certain echelons of power, or have friends who are there already.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

22. This will only make him more popular with the Reshiticans

They like this type of hardball, in-your-face, fuck-off type of politics. And basically, Romney just told the world to fuck off if they don't like what he did.