Contact Information: Contact: Tom Fitton 202-646-5172
Judicial Watch Asks Court to Continue Lawsuit Over Hillary's Health Care Task Force Records -- Also Seeks Limited Discovery Into Clinton Presidential Library Operations
National Archives Seeks to Delay Records Release Until After Election
| Quelle: Judicial Watch
WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - February 29, 2008) - Judicial Watch, the public interest group
that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today
that Judicial Watch filed on February 27th a new brief in its lawsuit to
obtain records related to the National Taskforce on Health Care Reform, a
"cabinet-level" taskforce chaired by former First Lady Hillary Rodham
Clinton [Judicial Watch, Inc. v U.S. National Archives and Records
Administration, Civil Action No: 1:07-cv-07-1987 (PLF)]. The National
Archives has asked the court for permission to delay the release of any
records indefinitely (after the November presidential elections). Per the
request of Bill Clinton, the earliest some of the records could be released
is 2012.
"...More than seven years after taking possession of the records of former
President William J. Clinton, and almost two years after receiving
[Judicial Watch's] FOIA request, the Clinton Presidential Library
("Library"), which Defendant controls, has not even begun processing
[Judicial Watch's] request," Judicial Watch states in its brief.
"...Instead, Defendant asks this Court to dismiss or stay this case despite
Defendant's admission that it wildly underestimated the public's interest
in the records, was woefully unprepared when it started receiving FOIA
requests, and remains understaffed and entirely unable to comply with its
statutory responsibilities... At a minimum, Defendant's motion to dismiss
or stay this case should be denied."
According to Clinton Presidential Library records, "The cabinet-level Task
Force, chaired by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, was given primary
responsibility for providing advice and making recommendations to the
President regarding the national health care reform package." A small
category of Health Care Task Force-related documents have been released by
the Clinton Presidential Library, but the records of the Health Care Task
Force itself have not been disclosed.
The National Archives admitted in correspondence to Judicial Watch that
there are approximately 3,022,030 textual records, 2,884 pages of
electronic records, 1,021 photographs, 3 videotapes and 3 audiotapes that
must be reviewed to respond to Judicial Watch's April 4, 2006 FOIA request.
Recently, Judicial Watch agreed to limit its FOIA request to the universe
of 1 million responsive documents which include the Task Force staff files
and internal documents. In addition, given the byzantine and arbitrary
system the Archives has developed for responding to FOIA requests, Judicial
Watch is also seeking court permission for limited discovery into the
operation of the Clinton Presidential Library.
"The National Archives does not want to do what the law requires -- make
the Clinton records available to the public in a timely basis," said
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "Virtually every public request for
Clinton records has been stonewalled by the Clinton Presidential Library.
This serves no interest but that of the Clinton campaign."
In a separate lawsuit, Judicial Watch also seeks access to Hillary
Clinton's daily schedule, among other records. The Justice Department has
confirmed that the National Archives completed its processing of these
records and that they are now in the hands of former President Clinton's
representatives. Bill Clinton can authorize the release of these records
at any time. A status report from the Archives on these and other records
is due to the court on Monday, March 3.
To read Judicial Watch's brief, visit
http://judicialwatch.org/files/2007/022808OppMotDismissStay.pdf.