Trump Was Just Hit With A Lawsuit For Erasing White House Records

President Trump’s tweets are considered by some to be outside of his official duties as president but two public interest watchdog groups disagree and have sued in federal court to force the president to archive his Twitter activity – and all other White House records – or be found in violation of the law.

“The President appears to be violating the Presidential Records Act (PRA),” charges the lawsuit filed by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and the National Security Archive (NSA).
The group also objects to reports that White House officials and staff are using confidential messaging apps to communicate that then destroy the messages before they can be archived.

“The American people not only deserve to know how their government is making important decisions, it’s the law,” says CREW Executive Director Noah Bookbinder. “By deleting these records, the White House is destroying essential historical records.”
Congress passed a law in 2014 that requires government employees to retain copies of private email server messages about government business on an official government server within 20 days, according to National Security Archive director Tom Blanton, who adds:

“Reports that Trump administration officials are disregarding this requirement – either by not following private e-mail protocol or by using encrypted messaging apps that prevent any kind of preservation – raise serious concerns that presidential records are at risk.”
The White House told Newsweek that it “doesn’t permit the use of apps such as this and works diligently to ensure all staff comply with The Presidential Records Act.”

CREW and the NSA are not buying that. They say this question is especially important in light of the investigations into the Russia election interference and questions about whether Trump pressured FBI Director James Comey to end his investigation into Michael Flynn, and later the firing of Comey.

“These questions can be resolved only through access to contemporaneous records,” says the suit, “that explain what the President did and why.”
Normally, presidential records are not subject to Freedom of Information requests while a president is still in office, but that may be different with an investigation.

Under any circumstances, the records may become public five years after a president leaves office or 12 years for classified material.

The lawsuit also provides a challenge to the use of presidential executive orders to take key decision-making from agencies which wold be subject to transparency requirements. They object to the evasion of transparency requirements and demand an open process, says the suit, “instead of inappropriately cloaking the process in secrecy.”

The suit also demands that the White House make visitor logs public once again as it was under President Obama. Under Trump, they are kept secret.

As for those middle of the night presidential tweets, the suit argues that Trump has to keep records even of deleted tweets, or he is in violation of the law. They cite a tweet that Trump deleted about a meeting with military generals at Mar-A-Lago, his resort in Florida which he has dubbed the “winter White House.”

This is not the first time the two non-profit groups have sued Trump. Back in January, they filed a lawsuit (which was expanded in April) charging the president with violating the emoluments clauses of the U.S. Constitution.

They charge the president continues to illegally own and profit from his private business empire.

They also raise the issue of Trump receiving economic benefit from foreign governments that use his hotels, restaurants and real estate properties. The suit says he can’t receive any financial benefit besides his government salary.

The government argues that the emoluments clause only applies to gifts and direct compensation to the president from foreign governments. However, the watchdogs say that the courts have no right to rule and that only Congress can intervene when the president violates the domestic or international emoluments clauses.

CREW and the NSA said in the suit they have legal standing to sue because both groups have what is called an “informational injury” as citizens. That is expected to be challenged by the White House lawyers, along with the rest of the suits.

Whether they win or lose, these watchdog groups have raised serious issues about an administration which works hard not to be transparent. The Trump administration is not only secretive but also has changed rules to keep much more from the public than President Obama and others have in the past.

Most recently, the White House has cut down the number of press briefings from one a day to one a week, and the president has held few general press conferences, preferring to only be interviewed by shows on Fox News which only ask softball questions.

As the investigations into this corrupt regime and a president who lies more often than is acceptable even for a politician heat up. having access to these records indeed will be crucial. So this is not a small matter. This is about keeping the light shining on our democracy at a time the President and his aides want to keep us in the dark.

Add your name to millions demanding that Congress take action on the President’s crimes. IMPEACH DONALD TRUMP! http://www.odaction.com/

(credits to https://washingtonjournal.com/2017/06/23/trump-just-hit-lawsuit-erasing-white-house-records/)