White House told to detail Christian leader visits

[LongTomH]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. judge ordered the Secret Service on Monday to disclose records of visits by nine prominent conservative Christian leaders to the White House and Vice President Dick Cheney's residence.

The ruling, in response to a legal watchdog group's suit, could shed light on the influence leaders like James Dobson of Focus on the Family have had on President George W. Bush's administration. It may also affect legal efforts to force the release of visiting records of convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and other similar cases.

"We think that these conservative Christian leaders have had a very big impact," said Executive Director Melanie Sloan of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, which filed the case.

"The White House doesn't want to talk about how much influence these leaders have, and we want to talk about how much they do have," she said.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN1742338820071217?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

---

Now, this could get interesting!

[WillParkinson]

1. Pffft....Executive privilege...

Or haven't you heard ad nauseum?

[and-justice-for-all]

2. I think it is called a 'circle jerk'...nt

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. At the very least it was an echo chamber

[soothsayer]

12. or a star chamber

[AlinPA]

3. Bush** will refuse. Done.

[aquart]

5. Did they bring little boys with them?

Or virgin females?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

15. page boys?

[Jacobin]

6. Watch. Now he'll invoke separation of church and state

to say a judge can't force him to disclose when the ayatollahs came to visit him.

:rofl:

[DUgosh]

7. John Hagee brags about his visits constantly

Why don't they subpeona his holiness.

[yardwork]

8. These groups are tax-exempt because they are supposedly non-political.

Ted Haggard visited with W. every single week to discuss strategies.

[rockybelt]

9. I know this seems to be trifle

but has anyone else noticed that judges are starting to say--WTF--?

[rodeodance]

13. late bloomers

[anitar1]

10. Tax these churches to the eyeballs. Churches should not be

exempt.They think they can meddle in government. NO

[rodeodance]

11. Justice Department spokesman Charles Miller said the agency was reviewing the ruling but had not dec

She said she expected the administration to fight the ruling, but if it survives it could mean White House visits will be considered public records.

Their disclosure would then be open to challenge only on a case-by-case basis, for reasons such as state secrecy or attorney-client privilege.

Justice Department spokesman Charles Miller said the agency was reviewing the ruling but had not decided whether to appeal.

[HuffleClaw]

14. ok, they were getting the telecoms to spy on americans as soon as bush took office...

...but everything THEY do is secret? how does even the most inbred freeper manage to get their heads around that?