President George W. Bush, the most secretive President in history, will fight to keep White House visitor logs secret.
A decision to challenge a court ruling that says the logs are public record is “business as usual” for Bush, who believes the actions of his administration are above the law and not subject to public view.
Bush’s modus operandi in such matters is to stonewall until time, or his term in office, runs out. It often works and even when it doesn’t work, Bush simply ignores the will of the courts or the rule and law and does whatever he damn well please.
That’s the Bush way and Bush has pretty much had things his way for the past seven years.
Few expect it to be any different this time around.
Reports The Associated Press:
The Bush administration is challenging a court ruling that White House visitor logs are public documents, saying releasing the records would infringe on the separation of powers.
White House documents are normally exempt from public records laws, but a federal judge ruled in December that Secret Service visitor logs must be released. The court sided with a liberal watchdog group that sought records showing visits by prominent religious conservatives to the White House and Vice President Dick Cheney’s residence.
The Bush administration appealed and lawyers were scheduled to argue the case Monday before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Government lawyers argue the president and vice president must be able to receive visitors and solicit advice privately. They portrayed the request for Secret Service records as an end-around, saying those same logs maintained by the White House would never be considered public documents.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington wants to use the Secret Service documents to show the influence religious conservatives have on the Bush administration. The government argues that proves the records are related to the White House, not to the workings of the Secret Service, and should not be released.
“The prospect of each and every appointment record immediately becoming the subject of forced public disclosure would surely cast a chill over the ability of the president and vice president to collect information and advice,” Justice Department lawyers wrote in court documents.
CREW lawyers reject that argument. They say the documents shouldn’t be considered White House records simply because a watchdog group is trying to find out what the White House is up to. The Secret Service created and controlled the documents, the lawyers said, so they should be public.
Nearly two dozen news organizations, including The Associated Press, filed court documents supporting the release of the Secret Service logs.
19 thoughts on “Bush determined to keep visitor logs secret”
Pursue the Bush administration beyond January 20 until they are brought to justice.
Direct Democracy
Bush… What a piece of $#!+….
An anal baby for sure.
I must be out of touch. I had to look to see who Jeff Gannon is.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Gannon
What is going to happen???
A president who has frequently violated the law, treated the Constitution and the people of this nation with contempt should be not only be impeached but should be in prison along with Cheney and the rest of the gang.
If it has not happened by now, it will never happen. Bush and his cronies will never be held accountable. Bush will retire to his ranch, make millions from memoirs, continue to spin his “historical legacy” with the assistance of the various boot licking pundits and MSM collaborators, and life will go on.
Is “American Idol” on tonight? Hope I can get enough money for gas to head to McDonalds later……
Seems to me I remember the Clinton administration having to
fork over their visitor logs because of Monicagate. When is anyone going to hold this administration accountable??
According to Raw Story, Gannon (Guckert) visited the White House something over 200 times, which included attendance at 155 of 196 scheduled press conferences during his tenure. The controversy seems to be over those gaps when he checked in and failed to check out, checked out without having checked in, stayed for unusually long times, and when he left by unusual exits.
Since the SS logs were provided to members of the House on that occasion, why should they object to a citizens group wanting to know what religious leaders visited and when?
Most sincerely,
T. J. Flapsaddle
It was Jeff Gannon who was visiting the WH about 150 times late at night. My guess is that Turdblossom was chowing down on nine inches of tube steak. I doubt Mr. Gannon was there to discuss Proust with W.
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