|
Ballot Access News » Blog Archive » New York Ti...
www.ballot-access.org/2008/01/15/new-york-times-ed... The January 15 New York Times carries this signed editorial, fearing that the U.S. Supreme Court no longer cares about protecting the rights of voters. Thanks to Rick Hasen’s election law blog for this.
Ballot Access News blog 2008-01-15 Labels:
voting In 2001, Bush signed Executive Order 13233 to allow current and previous presidents to withhold documents and records without explanation INDEFINITELY. What’s more, the order extends the presidents’ authority to control the records under to presidential family members, and vice presidents. This unprecedented expansion of executive power flouts FOIA, precedent, and the principles of the Constitution. The order, drafted by former Attorney General and close Bush friend Alberto Gonzales, eviscerates the post-Watergate Presidential Records Act, which made presidential records the property of the government, and then the public. Our right to know should not be subject to the whims of the executive. Senator Clinton is conspicuously not a cosponsor of the bill that would revoke the Bush Executive Order, the Presidential Records Act Amendments.We’re still waiting for Clinton, and most of the other presidential candidates, to demonstrate that they believe the records belong to the people, not the President. So far, only Senator Obama has put his name on the bill. Watchdob blog by Public Citizen 2008-01-15 Labels:
presidential records, FOIA, executive power |