WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — A US conservative government watchdog organization has been forced to file hundreds of lawsuits against the administration of US President Barack Obama for the White House’s failure to fulfil Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in testimony submitted to a US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
“Our [Judicial Watch] staff attorneys have been forced to file nearly 225 FOIA lawsuits in federal court against this administration,” Fitton said on Tuesday. “Agencies have… stonewalled even the most basic FOIA requests.”
Judicial Watch is a conservative foundation dedicated to promoting government transparency, Fitton explained, and the most active FOIA requester.
The White House, from his experience, continues to break FOIA laws with impunity.
“The Obama administration’s casual law-breaking when it comes to FOIA is a national disgrace and shows contempt for the American people’s right to know what their government is doing,” Fitton argued.
In March 2015, the White House announced that its Office of Administration will be exempted from FOIA requests, arguing there is no legal basis to subject the White House to the Act’s provisions, according to new rules published in the Federal Register.
US President Barack Obama pledged upon taking office his administration would be most transparent.
