GOP Senator Puts Secret Hold On Bill Restoring Public Access To Presidential Records

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/20/coburn-hold/

GOP Senator Puts Secret Hold On Bill Restoring Public Access To Presidential Records

In Nov. 2001, President Bush signed an executive order that historians called “unprecedented” and “would turn the 1978 Presidential Records Act on its head by allowing such materials to be kept secret ‘in perpetuity.’”

In March, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), along with Republican Reps. Russell Platts (PA), Lacy Clay (MO), and Dan Burton (R-IN) introduced a bill that would “nullify” Bush’s 2001 order “and restore public access to presidential records.” The bill passed the House with a 333-93 vote and the Senate Government Affairs Committee agreed in June to move its version to the floor for a vote, but the bill was stalled when an anonymous Republican senator put a hold on it:

A fight over White House secrecy has taken a new twist, with Senate officials confirming Wednesday that a Republican senator is secretly blocking a bill that would reverse President Bush’s 2001 executive order allowing ex-presidents to seal their records indefinitely. {…}

Suspicion for the hold initially focused on three senators — Ted Stevens of Alaska, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, and George Voinovich of Ohio — who objected in committee to a provision giving ex-presidents 40 days to review document requests. That was changed to 90 days to address their concerns.

Aides to Sens. Stevens and Voinovich said Wednesday that their bosses are not blocking the bill. Coburn aides didn’t respond to inquiries.

If Coburn is the Senator blocking the bill from coming to a vote, it wouldn’t be the only bill that he is currently blocking. Last month, Coburn placed a hold on a suicide prevention bill for military veterans that was introduced by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA).

You can contact Coburn’s office here or call it at 202-224-5754.

[Ian David]

1. Stupid Orwellian Republickers. n/t

[0rganism]

2. what boggles my mind is, why can't the Dems figure out how to do this shit?

The Republican minority has so much goddam control, they might as well still be the senate majority. I NEVER saw such unified obstruction and successful delaying tactics when the Democrats were the minority party. They can even drive the floor agenda to push their politics. I mean, holy shit, they actually got a bill through to "condemn moveon.org" the same week they blocked cloture on bills to expand democracy for DC and Utah and to restore habeas corpus rights. :wtf:

When have the Democrats ever shown this kind of procedural acumen? How far back do I have to go to find a successful Democratic filibuster, where the Republicans backed down on some piece of outrageous legislation and didn't just stick it right back in as a rider to some crazy-ass omnibus package? 1980s?

I can only hope someone in the Democratic caucus is taking notes, because if this keeps going the way it is, it won't be long before Democrats are back in the minority again. :grr:

[donkeyotay]

3. How about a sense of the Senate resolution that secrecy

is not compatible with the Constitutional government you all swore to uphold?

[MH1]

4. Isn't Coburn supposedly an "open government" guy?

I'm pretty sure that's the one thing he usually gets somewhat right...so if it's him, it's major hypocrisy, too.

Of course the republican hypocrisy meter has been pegged for so long this wouldn't even register.

[MH1]

5. kick, for the night shift. n/t