Judicial Watch Asks Court to Require National Archives to Speed Release of Hillary Clinton Documents

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - November 8, 2007) - Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, asked a federal court yesterday to require the National Archives and Records Administration to release Hillary Clinton's office schedules from the Clinton Presidential Library early in 2008. Judicial Watch sued the Archives, which operates and maintains Clinton Presidential Library records, over its failure to respond to Judicial Watch's April 5, 2006 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for Mrs. Clinton's White House office records, which include her daily schedules and telephone logs.

In a recent court filing, the National Archives admitted that 10,000 pages of Hillary Clinton's daily schedule records will be ready by the end of January 2008 for review by Presidential representatives. However, the Archives, despite the court's request, refused to provide a date certain by which it will complete the processing of 20,000 pages of telephone log books. The Archives also requested an indefinite period of time to allow representatives of Bill (and Hillary) Clinton and President Bush to review them. (The Archives admitted that, on average, Presidential representatives have required 237 days to complete their review of Clinton Presidential records.)

In yesterday's court filing, Judicial Watch lawyers argued that the Presidential Records Act does not allow Clinton (or President Bush) to delay the release of records and that the Archivist is only required to give President Clinton 30 days notice that records are to be released. Accordingly, Judicial Watch asked the court to order the Archives to release Hillary Clinton White House schedules after the library completes its processing of them (and after President Clinton is given his required 30 day notice) -- and to provide a date certain as to when the telephone logs would be processed. Judicial Watch argues in its filing that the Archives' handling of the Hillary Clinton records request has shown "complete disregard for the law."

In fact, in a separate lawsuit, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly recently enjoined the Archives from following President Bush's executive order that allowed former presidents and vice presidents to review Archives records for an indefinite period of time. Judge Collar-Kotelly said it was within the sole discretion of the presidential Archivist to release presidential records, and the Archivist was not required to defer to former presidents.

"We're asking the court to ensure that the law is followed and that these records are released without improper interference from the Clintons," stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "There's no reason we should not see these records in early 2008."

To read court filings in this matter, including the Judicial Watch brief filed yesterday, go to www.judicialwatch.org

Contact Information: Contact: Jill Farrell 202-646-5188