Federal Judge Slams Obama’s ‘Cavalier Attitude,’ Orders Him To Release Sealed Documents

Could this be a sign of things to come? A federal judge has slammed Obama’s “cavalier attitude” towards transparency with his decision making, ordering his administration to release a government-wide foreign aid directive that he wanted hidden from the public. A lawsuit had been filed by Washington, D.C. non-profit Center for Effective Government, which sought the release of the Presidential Policy Directive on Global Development.

The Obama administration had declined to make the document public under the “Presidential communications privilege,” but federal judge Ellen Huvelle declared the Obama administration’s argument of executive privilege was “troubling” and accused them of engaging in “governance by secret law.” The ruling comes on the heels of a report last month by the Committee to Protect Journalists, which concluded that Obama’s administration was the most secretive since the Nixon administration
It also appears that the President could be brought to trial soon once again for his transgressions. South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy, who expressed outrage over the Obama administration’s “unprecedented level” of floating congressional law, wants to take the White House to court over executive outreach. Thirty Republican congressman are on board with this and Gowdy also said a House resolution has authorized a congressional lawsuit.
Speaking to Fox News, Gowdy explained that Congress could sue the Obama administration for ignoring laws passed by the legislation. “I don’t like running to the court. I’d rather use any other remedy other than going to the court,” he said. But our other remedies have not worked and the judicial branch is there for a reason. In certain circumstances Congress ought to be able to assert its standing, and I just think the pervasiveness of his ignoring of Congress has reached a point [that] we don’t have a choice.”
(Photo: Reuters)