Surprise: FOIA lawsuits up 28 percent over Bush years in Obama’s first term

posted at 1:11 pm on January 23, 2013 by Mary Katharine Ham

Transparency:

The number of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits filed against the federal government has increased dramatically under the Obama administration, according to a December study by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC).

A comparison between the last two years of President George W. Bush’s second term and the last two years of President Barack Obama’s first term shows FOIA lawsuits jumped by 28 percent, TRAC reports.

FOIA lawsuits are filed to challenge denials of records requests or the use of exemptions of information by federal agencies.

The number of FOIA lawsuits filed against the State Department rose by 111 percent in those time periods, from 18 to 38. FOIA lawsuits rose by 60 percent at both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Additionally, the Department of Justice saw an increase by 50 percent.

In characteristic Obama administration style, Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder made sweeping promises about reforming FOIA procedures and issued memoranda. Holder then did nothing to achieve those changes, and even abetted regression:

A government-wide audit performed by the National Security Archives found 62 of 99 federal agencies have not updated their FOIA regulations since Attorney General Eric Holder issued a 2009 memorandum instructing them to do so.

The audit also revealed that 56 agencies have not updated their FOIA regulations since the passage of the OPEN Government Act of 2007, which mandated agencies retool their FOIA offices, including fee structures and reporting.

Holder has done little to implement those guidelines four years after issuing them, and his Justice Department has defended all agencies that choose to withhold information from the public, a report on FOIAproject.org found.

As Erika noted in December:

[I]t’s not that hard for administrators that care to do so to comply with Obama’s transparency promises and directives, but they were directives issued without any teeth in them — it was pretty much just a showy request, and Obama isn’t bothering to make sure anything is being done about it. I believe the golfing terminology is “follow-through.”

A by-no-means exhaustive list of previous transparency problems:

Obama admin finally releases their regulatory agenda — and only eight months late

Obama’s inaugural committee on the receiving end of transparency complaints

EPA releases first tranche of Lisa Jackson’s alias e-mail correspondence

No bigs: Head of EPA does a bunch of work on an alias e-mail account

Contractor building federal Obamacare exchange has a big ol’ conflict of interest

Gee, whiz: Federal agencies lagging way behind on Obama’s transparency promises

But, hey, in the words of the most admired woman in America, “What difference does it make?”

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“We’re going to do interviews with everyone from Jon Stewart to 60 Minutes to Bill Simmons’ pod cast – and everything in between – if that’s what it’s going to take to reach audiences, particularly those between 18 and 35 who don’t consume media in the same way,” Pfeiffer said.

It’s my understanding that your pagan god has a standig invitation to debate Mark Levin.

But, I’m sure that there will be some kinda in perpetuity conflict with the tough hitting The View, et al.

Pissant.

OhEssYouCowboys on April 3, 2013 at 3:24 PM

What difference, at this point, does it make?

It doesn’t matter that all of us saw this from day one of his presidency. He’s historic, after all…

Common Sense Floridian on April 3, 2013 at 3:30 PM

Puhleeze

cmsinaz on April 3, 2013 at 3:32 PM

What difference, at this point, does it make?

It doesn’t matter that all of us saw this from day one of his presidency. He’s historic, after all…

Common Sense Floridian on April 3, 2013 at 3:30 PM

Yep.

happytobehere on April 3, 2013 at 3:32 PM

We prefer to call them non-ridged round objects.

Oil Can on April 3, 2013 at 3:33 PM

“There’s no question that he’s opening and closing the door at his choice,” says Gerald Shuster, a professor of political communication at the University of Pittsburgh. “He’s controlling the flow as much as he can.”

A sane society would recognize that as propaganda.

The truth is that BO has to be protected. He’s ignorant in all things that matter but a clever liar whose only “gift” is to sling bullshiite so fast and deep that few can wade through it. His constituents, the stupid, uninformed recipients of taxpayer largesse love it – and so-called educated liberals are required to believe it.

He’s an incompetent, preening fool relishing in the fact that he can exact so much punishment without consequence – only adoration from his acolytes.

Cody1991 on April 3, 2013 at 3:40 PM

I’ve heard the Won(tm) received an A from the Atlanta school board.

trs on April 3, 2013 at 3:47 PM

When he starts mixing the Kool Aid, run.

mixplix on April 3, 2013 at 3:47 PM

They don’t have to tell the reporters to play soft-ball, because the reporters know that if they don’t, they’ll get frozen out in future.

Steven Den Beste on April 3, 2013 at 3:56 PM

I think somebody predicted he wouldn’t need the press once they helped him win again…

DanMan on April 3, 2013 at 3:58 PM

OT: Drudge says North Korea got final approval for a nuclear attack on the US.

I guess Obama finally gave him the green light.

The Rogue Tomato on April 3, 2013 at 4:00 PM

Just as long as you only ask: “So Mr. Preznit, what has enchanted you most about being the greatest man who ever lived?” then Dog Eater will respond with crisp, incisive answers.

Bishop on April 3, 2013 at 4:00 PM

Meanwhile:

During an interview with Michelle Obama, the host of Entertainment Tonight asked her how she felt having a husband who was a “sex symbol” similar to former Presidents JFK and Bill Clinton.

apostic on April 3, 2013 at 4:02 PM

OT: Drudge says North Korea got final approval for a nuclear attack on the US.

I guess Obama finally gave him the green light.

The Rogue Tomato on April 3, 2013 at 4:00 PM

According to the half breed preezy, America can absorb an attack.

So I’m not worried!

tom daschle concerned on April 3, 2013 at 4:03 PM

They don’t have to tell the reporters to play soft-ball, because the reporters know that if they don’t, they’ll get frozen out in future.

Steven Den Beste on April 3, 2013 at 3:56 PM

As if they had to be told. THEY put him in there!

Cleombrotus on April 3, 2013 at 4:03 PM

softball interviews?

Softballs can hurt. This is more like powder puff balls, made out of cotton candy, so after they’re thrown, all can sit down and have a yummy sweet snack, and laugh about the hateful, bigoted conservatives.

Paul-Cincy on April 3, 2013 at 4:08 PM

It doesn’t matter that all of us saw this from day one of his presidency. He’s historic, after all…

Common Sense Floridian on April 3, 2013 at 3:30 PM

You don’t want to be on the wrong side of history, do you? Huh? What?

Paul-Cincy on April 3, 2013 at 4:12 PM

Shut up LSM. Covering for his corruption and incompetence is not enough. You didn’t praise Dear Leader enough to justify any more kisses. He has a new whore now.

2ndMAW68 on April 3, 2013 at 4:17 PM

It’s a shame we couldn’t see an Obama-Hillary rematch in the 2016 primaries. It would be entertaining to see the media trying to figure out which one gave them the more intense tingle. Their heads might explode.

IndieDogg on April 3, 2013 at 4:20 PM

Troll free thread?

CurtZHP on April 3, 2013 at 4:29 PM

HE IGNORES US — BUT WE CAN’T QUIT HIM — WE HATE HIM — WE LOVE HIM!

*bites knuckle*

Sincerely,

The ignored White House press corps

jaywalker72 on April 3, 2013 at 4:35 PM

You can tell Pfeiffer “The Fluffer” is lying. His lips are moving.

GarandFan on April 3, 2013 at 5:14 PM

everyone from Jon Stewart to 60 Minutes to Bill Simmons’ pod cast – and everything in between

Uh … there isn’t anything in between.

Jaibones on April 3, 2013 at 5:37 PM

“There is no such thing as a softball interview,” he insisted during a Politico breakfast on Wednesday morning. …

Especially for an idiot savant who has precious little talent beyond reading a prepared speech from a teleprompter.

arik1969 on April 3, 2013 at 9:01 PM

“Softball questions”? Our Kenyan Communist Muslim-In-Chief doesn’t get softball questions from his butt-kissing media lapdogs, let alone hardball questions. He gets Nerfball questions and he acts really put upon and exasperated when he has to answer them.

The man is a despicable narcissist who is knowingly wrecking our country.

CatchAll on April 3, 2013 at 9:07 PM

So basically they’re pi**ed that the Obama White House has taken the PR function in house rather than leave it out sourced to the national media.

bluesdoc70 on April 3, 2013 at 9:46 PM