by Peter Nicholas
Invoking an argument used by President George W. Bush, the Obama administration has turned down a request from a watchdog group for a list of health industry executives who have visited the White House to discuss the massive healthcare overhaul.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington sent a letter to the Secret Service asking about visits from 18 executives representing health insurers, drug makers, doctors and other players in the debate. The group wants the material in order to gauge the influence of those executives in crafting a new healthcare policy.
The Secret Service sent a reply stating that documents revealing the frequency of such visits were considered presidential records exempt from public disclosure laws. The agency also said it was advised by the Justice Department that the Secret Service was within its rights to withhold the information because of the "presidential communications privilege."
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics said it would file suit against the Obama administration as early as today. The group already has sued the administration over its failure to release details about visits from coal industry executives.
A White House spokesman, Ben LaBolt, said, "We are reviewing our policy on access to visitor logs and related litigation."
See the report on the White House's secret records in Tribune newspapers and here in the Swamp:
As a candidate, President Obama vowed that in devising a healthcare bill he would invite in TV cameras -- specifically C-SPAN -- so that Americans could have a window into negotiations that normally play out behind closed doors.
Having promised transparency, the administration should be willing to disclose who it is consulting in shaping healthcare policy, said an attorney for the citizens' group. In its letter requesting the records, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics asked about visits from Billy Tauzin, president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America; Karen Ignagni, president of America's Health Insurance Plans; William Weldon, chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson; and J. James Rohack, president of the American Medical Assn., among others.
"It's extremely disappointing," said Anne Weismann, the group's chief counsel. Obama is relying on a legal argument that "continues one of the bad, anti-transparency, pro-secrecy approaches that the Bush administration had taken. And it seems completely at odds with the president's commitment . . . to bring a new level of transparency to his government."
PhRMA, which represents the nation's drug companies, said it had taken part in two meetings with senior White House officials in the Roosevelt Room. Participants, according to Tauzin, included White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, along with the CEOs of some major drug companies. Both meetings were closed to the public.
In an interview, Tauzin said most of the "real negotiations" took place with the Senate Finance Committee. At its meetings with the White House, the drug industry reported on progress made with the Senate and got a briefing from Obama officials "about how they saw" healthcare reform unfolding, Tauzin said.
Comments
This was wrong when Bush did it, and it's wrong for Obama. It puts way too much power into the hands of a very few people. And it would take a saint or a messiah (neither of which Obama is) to resist using that kind of power.
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And had the Republicans not been so willing to follow their Fuhrer blindly and trustingly throughout the 8 years of his rule -- had they not been giddy to hand over to him everything he asked for, reserving doubt ONLY for people who wanted to stop him -- the precedent wouldn't have been set for Obama to do this LEGALLY now.
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Thanks EVER so much, Republicans, for 8 years of your firm resolve in standing behind "whatever the President needs" to keep our country safe! Still in favor of concentrating power in the hands of the Executive branch? Still want to label as traitor anyone who doubts the sanity of the POTUS being able to hide whatever records he wants, or to bypass laws that don't serve his purpose? Does second-guessing the Commander-in-Chief still seem grossly un-American to you?
Posted by: Op109 | July 22, 2009 7:47 AM
Great response, Op109. Whenever you are confronted with another broken promise by Obama, just blame Republicans. Obama ran as the anti-Bush, someone who was going to break from Bush's horrible practices and restore transparency to the office. Rather than address that, you launch into a brainless diatribe blaming others. Pathetic.
I laugh when I read your excuse for him. "Its not his fault, nobody is capable of resisting." Keep making excuses for him.
Posted by: Charlie | July 22, 2009 8:42 AM
Wonder what Obama is covering Up.
Looks as if Bush was covering up also.
Any one have any suggestions what Obama is covering up?
Posted by: Inky | July 22, 2009 9:07 AM
Oh my! Secrets meetings in the White House? Call out the Reid/Pelosi inquisition and let's have a public trial to expose this breach of campaign trail preached open government fueled by "Obamadopium"! Ruhmmy, Axelshaft and the others are doing the Chicago style rope a dope with the taxpayers, just like they did in Illinois. Ram it through, get what you want for YOU, and screw the taxpayers by letting the poor suckers pay for generations to come.
If these people think they are that smart, then there should be no problem in completing explaining ALL of the details of any proposed legislation so that Americans can understand it and have a meaningful discourse with their elected officials.
The healthcare issue is extremely complex and shall not be railroaded through by a salivating president and his henchmen.
Posted by: Pragmatic | July 22, 2009 9:09 AM
Predictable post Op109...Let's ignore the "hope/change" promised by Obama and blame Bush for all of the ills of the nation. "If Bush hadn't been corrupt, Obama would not be corrupt"?
Perhaps we should, next time, not be so anxious to accept outrageous promises for the sake of "change". Perhaps we should demand "improvment" instead.
Posted by: Charlie51 | July 22, 2009 9:14 AM
"White House spokesman Ben LaBolt" denies access to the records.
This is the same Ben LaBolt who was implicated in the Hillary "1984" attack ad that the Obama campaign tried to deny they had anything to do with. See
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=2977670&page=1
for the story the Swamp reporters don't seem to be able to, or want to, remember. And which is LaBolt's only claim to fame.
It's as if a biography of Jesse James didn't mention his train robberies.
Posted by: Bruce | July 22, 2009 9:36 AM
Agree that this sends the wrong message. If these industries are allowed to continue their influence on policy, nothing that is done in the name of reform will reduce the cost of "health" care. They are businesses, and exist to make money for their shareholders, not to do benevolent works.
Posted by: Babs | July 22, 2009 9:53 AM
OP109, Bush didn't set the prcedent it had been set long ago. Get some history lessons under your belt. Also, you CANNOT blame Bush for Obama's conduct. Talk about being blind, you sheeple are still trying to blame Bush for everything, even Obama's conduct. Talk about naive and ridiculous. Anyone with even a shred of intelligence or common sense would have realized early Obama could in no way keep all of his promises. I don't blame him, there is such a thicg as too much information. We need to know what he proposes, who advises him is moot....
Posted by: chris | July 22, 2009 10:02 AM
You live in the United States and you are not used to politicians doing thinks in the shadows? Having planning meetings behind doors and generally doing what they want for the benefit of themselves and their cronies. Transparency is just a word to throw around at election time and nothing more. Afterall you are paying for it with your taxdollars, so sit back anf enjoy the ride because there is nothing anyone can do about it.
Posted by: Tom | July 22, 2009 10:03 AM
Well, "Op109", you spent two of the three paragraphs of your post blaming Obama's actions on republicans. When will you and your ilk start holding the current administration responsible for its actions?
Time for you to face the facts: Obama is breaking campaign promises on an almost daily basis. Are you really going to blame Bush for every campaign promise Obama breaks over the next 7 1/2 years?
Posted by: Mike | July 22, 2009 10:06 AM
Looks like Obama is just going to continue Bush's actions. Everyone was up in arms when Bush wouldn't reveal the energy executives they met with, now Obama with the medical executives. Where is the transparency we were promised?
Posted by: hmm | July 22, 2009 10:16 AM
Op,
You are the typical liberal hypocrite. Instead of blaming Obama for not 'changing business as usual' and doing just what Bush did, instead you simply blame Bush. Get real clown.
Posted by: Batboy | July 22, 2009 10:28 AM
Oh my. What's happened to "the most transparent administration ever?" An increasing number of Americans are finally having to admit that Obama is a staggering con man. Nothing more. Always has been a con man, always will be. He'll be lucky to make it through his first and only term without being impeached.
Posted by: Jack | July 22, 2009 10:38 AM
@Op109: your argument is flawed. Mr. Obama promised change and transparency and has given us neither. Can't blame anybody but him for that regardless of what other people have done.
Posted by: Drez | July 22, 2009 10:41 AM
I'm starting to love these four more years of Bush.
Posted by: Jeff | July 22, 2009 12:01 PM
So, we through the GOP rascals out for playing footsie with the Oil and Mining companies (and soon gasoline soars to $4/gallon). Now the Dem rascals play footsie with healthcare! Don't look for anything good to come from the government in terms of healthcare "reform". BO is no better than "W" except for maybe being more articulate.
Posted by: Op110 | July 22, 2009 12:22 PM
Isn't it amazing how when a candidate runs for office they are against all the things the incumbent does, but once they are the incumbent all those things become one of the perks of their job?
Just goes to show you Obama is neither a reformer or very honest with the citizens. He is only good at making and breaking promises once elected.
You have to admire him for his ability to get what he wants and then screw the people who gave it to him.
Posted by: irate taxpayer | July 22, 2009 12:43 PM
DopieOpie strikes again! Yes, Bush made Obama do it! Six months later and the unhinged, demented, deranged Left is still blaming Bush. I suppose our rotten summer is Bush's fault too, huh?
This Shaministration is a joke, a very, very bad joke!
Anyway, Obama learned his "ethics" in Chicago and Illi ois politics.
Posted by: John D | July 22, 2009 1:46 PM
Yet another Obama campaign promise broken. I've lost count on them at this point.
Can't wait for the media to soft-peddle this one. . . Seems like the only thing Obama can be held accountable for is that he wore "mom jeans" at the MLB all-star game. Unbelievable. When will they stop smoking the hopium?
Posted by: Bob | July 22, 2009 2:06 PM
Sorry Jack. Obama will never be impeached. Too bad the Democrats didn't have the backbone to impeach Bush, Cheney, Gonzalez, Scalia, and others. They rightfully deserved impeachment.
And little Chris is crying about blaming boy George Bush for 'everything'. Sort of like the Republicans, to this day, blaming Clinton for everything. Get over it loser.
Posted by: Doug R. | July 22, 2009 4:10 PM
So much for transparency !. The presidential papers are now private.
President Richard Nixon was required to give up his tapes, And President Barack Hussaine Obama should allow his records to be open to scrutiny. This guy in the White House is just one big loser. I can't wait until he is out of office. Hopefully, when that happens we will return to a nation of the home of the free and the home of the brave.
He's not only ruining our country, he has been proven to be a LIAR.
Posted by: Paul | July 22, 2009 4:16 PM
What high crimes and misdemeanors has Obama committed?
What high crimes and misdemeanors did Bush commit?
Posted by: ornery | July 22, 2009 11:24 PM
Hey Doogie, what exactly should Scalia get impeached over?
Rather than impeaching every conservative like the Loons on the Left want to do, how about if we just evicted all the Lefty Loons out of this country? Send em to Venezuala? Cuba? Iran? Syria? North Korea? Those are all favorite places of the Loons on the Left. Then, once the Loons are gone, the rest of us can make this country great again.
Posted by: John D | July 23, 2009 1:07 AM
i have to now wonder who these people were and how much pull they had in getting this stupid health care reform bill written. you know there is a problem with the person who supposedly wrote it doesnt even recall whats in it when he is asked.
the white house and congress needs to hear from the american people that WE dont want this bill and what its going to do.
ANY elected official who votes for this should be tarred and feathered then VOTE OUT OF OFFICE
Posted by: james | July 23, 2009 2:44 AM