Meet the new Boss same as the old Boss.
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Obama Blocks Visitor List Access, Echoing Bush
The Obama administration has denied requests from both reporters and government watchdogs to reveal the names of White House guests, echoing Bush administration policy.
MSNBC.com reports that their attempt to get visitor logs was denied:
The Obama administration is arguing that the White House visitor logs are presidential records -- not Secret Service agency records, which would be subject to the Freedom of Information Act. The administration ought to be able to hold secret meetings in the White House, "such as an elected official interviewing for an administration position or an ambassador coming for a discussion on issues that would affect international negotiations," said Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt.
These same arguments, made by the Bush administration, were rejected twice by a federal judge. The visitor logs are created by the Secret Service and maintained by the Secret Service, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ruled in 2007 and again this January. CREW had requested records of visits to the Bush White House, as well as the residence of Vice President Dick Cheney, by leaders of Religious Right organizations.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonpartisan watchdog focused on special interests, was also rebuffed.
CREW sought records of visits by top coal executives in an effort to learn the extent to which these individuals may have influenced the administration's energy policy. Taking the exact same position as the Bush administration, the Obama administration claimed the records are presidential, not agency records, and otherwise exempt in their entirety because of the possibility in some instances they could reveal information protected by the presidential communications privilege. In prior litigation U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth agreed with CREW that the records are agency records that must be disclosed under the FOIA.
The group is filing a complaint against the Department of Homeland Security.
We are deeply disappointed," CREW attorney Anne L. Weismann told MSNBC, "that the Obama administration is following the same anti-transparency policy as the Bush administration when it comes to White House visitor records. Refusing to let the public know who visits the White House is not the action of a pro-transparency, pro-accountability administration."
President Bush fought for years to keep White House visitor logs private, arguing that they should fall under the presidential communications privilege. In January of this year a judge rejected that argument.
Comments
Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!!! One of ...
Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!!!
One of the RARE Bush supporters who will still admit it publicly (abeit behind the screen of an online moniker) complains that our new President is doing what Bush did!
I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried!!!!!!!!
You're saying your guy was bad and therefore the new guy is bad for doing the same? But you STILL support the old guy who is now being roundly touted as one of the very worst Presidents we have Ever had?
Too TOO FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
actually TGIX I am not ...
actually TGIX I am not that big of a Bush supporter never was. Bush was a liberal I only defended him on stuff I agreed with. So tell me this TGIX Obama promised transparency yet he is as secretive as Bush. Was it not the that complained and complained about this exact same thing?
Why now are you not yelling like hell. Where is the lefties complaining like the bitches they are?
Or is it this TGIX it is ok for my guy to do it but not yours? No TGIX I had plenty of problems with Bush you can ask Walter that. The only thing we have ever tried to point out is the truth unlike you. The fact is there is NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS. Non notta nothing they are the same.
Plenty of similarities ...
Plenty of similarities among some, PLENTY of differences and that is not debatable. One party believes in growing the size of government IMMENSELY while lying about, says they are against it. Never has the government been expanded more than under Bush. The other party actually reduces it but likes government, just not so much of it, says so and reduces it, reduces the costs.
One party believes in spending MEGA MEGA MEGA BUCK$ that we don't have and claims to be against taxes. They in fact are ONLY against themselves paying taxes! LOL! The other party believes in (and proves it with action) using taxes instead of borrowing to pay the bills because it is MUCH MUCH MUCH more responsible. The debt is what kills us most, the interest we have to pay on it, NOT so much the spending itself. You get Soooooooooo much more for your money when you aren't throwing it down the toilet on interest payments.
I could go on all day about the hypocrite republican'ts and I could point out some bad things that some democrats have done too but I won't. I will just say that one of our best Presidents ever was Clinton, leaving us a SURPLUS and all the Embarrassed republican'ts could do is try and cripple him the way Limbaugh wants Obama to fail, by hounding him with meaningless investigation after investigation that turned up nothing worthwhile. They were relentless, costing us taxpayers a FORTUNE and, Worst of All, impairing his ability to be an even greater President that would benefit us.
The republican'ts are pro war and torture, pro polution, against consumer protection, health care even for helpless defenseless little children, against public education...
I won't go on. There's no getting through to someone as stooopid as you. Like McCain, who graduated at the ROCK BOTTOM of his class vs. Obama who graduated with honors at the VERY TIP TOP of his class, it's pointless trying to teach the deliberately stoopid pigs to sing. It only frustrates the would-be teacher and annoys the pig.
TGIX I will not dispute ...
TGIX I will not dispute the fact that republicans grew government that is a fact.
As far as the stupid statement republicans not wanting to pay taxes Tim Gietner or half of Obamas cabinet cheated on there taxes. Oh and lets not forget Charlie Rangel who totally did not pay taxes on earned income on some rental stuff he had. So do sit there and tell it is only republicans you just proved my point. Dam you make so easy.
Democraps right are growing government even faster then Bush did that is a fact no one can argue.
democrats have NEVER reduced government they have grown it as fast as they can The Raw Deal anyone or as you flaming libs love call it The New Deal. So saying Bush grew faster then anyone else is just a plain out lie. Again you make to easy.
Clinton did have deficits the surplus NEVER came about. Not only that republican blocked the majority of the shit Clinton wanted. Health care anyone? Clintons foreign policy was a complete total disaster. Hell I served under Clinton in the military I can say this moral horrible under Clinton. Not as bad as Carter who was absolutely the worst President.
You are so wrong about Limbaugh it is not even funny. Limbaugh wants Obama to fail because he is a socialist and he is proving it every day. Obama in the last 5 months has expanded government more then even Bush did. What is the deficit because of Obamas spending bill TGIX do you even know what it is. Obama has taken over car companies financial companies and now is targeting the federal reserve to fuck over other places.
So get off your high horse and come on down here with the rest of the folks and stop being a democrat i dialog toting the party line from moveon.org.
No wonder you're ilk is ...
No wonder you're ilk is such a tiny and still shrinking minority these days.
And just when I thought no one could be any stooopider than you YOU go and out-do your own moronic self.
Clinton - Surplus
Anything else is just wishful thinking by those who would rather have our country in BAD economic shape. You republican'ts PROVED that by cheering on Bush as he ran us into the ground. We will be digging out for our ENTIRE lives and our children and THEIR children will be digging out all of theirs ALL as a result of your hero. That's sick. You are ANTI America. Go fuck yourself. I'm done trying to reason with the pig that never will sing.
TGIX you idiot Clinton ...
TGIX you idiot Clinton never had a surplus because once you took social security out of the mix clinton never had one. I agreed with Bush on some things and did not agree with him on others. However no matter what you never agreed just because he had an R in front of his name. Bush was a liberal plain and simple and if he had a D in front of his name you would have cheered like no other.
Lol you never reasoned with anyone. Anyone that had ever disagreed with you, you think is a right wing nutcase.