President Barack Obama issued an executive order Wednesday that limits the ability of former presidents to block the release of sensitive records of their time in the White House.
Obama's action in his first full day in office overturned an earlier order issued by George W. Bush that prompted a federal lawsuit. Obama said former presidents may ask to have certain documents kept private, but they no longer may compel the National Archives to do so. Obama's executive order also makes clear that neither former vice presidents nor relatives of former presidents who have died have authority to keep records private.
Bush's executive order was issued in November 2001. A federal judge ruled parts of it invalid in 2007. Obama's order revoked it entirely.
I know what you're thinking - this is probably because he wants the records of former President Clinton to be examined. That was my first thought, too. But, strangely enough, some people are thinking that this might be a tacit approval of Obama for House Democrats' calls for investigations (here, here) into the Bush administration for 'impeachable offenses'.No way!
Oddly enough, there is one key word in that order that should raise some eyebrows: former. Barack Obama wants Bush's records to be open for all the ludicrous investigations into 'war crimes' and other 'impeachable offenses' that the sharks in the Bush-hating media can dream up, but he himself will still be shielded from prying eyes. Seems kind of hypocritical coming from the man who, on the campaign trail, steadfastly refused to release the records of his time in college, the records of his fundraising activities, and his birth certificate records.
Hypocritical, but also entirely predictable and consistent.
Hope! Change!
There's my two cents.
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