Re: Lowell

From:john.podesta@gmail.com To: pir@hrcoffice.com Date: 2015-03-05 15:23 Subject: Re: Lowell

Leahy used to routinely introduce this gave up after awhile. On Mar 5, 2015 12:02 PM, "Philippe Reines" <pir@hrcoffice.com> wrote: > John, per our other email, done. > > Depending on this, we should also have some friendly Dem in Congress > introduce legilsation to subject Congress to FOIA. Cummings could do it and > ask Issa, Chaffetz and Gowdy to co-sponsor. I’m sure the leadership > wouldn’t appreciate giving up the carveout, but chances are it would never > reach the floor anyway. > > Alternatively, we could tee up some good government group that is always > pouncing on us to make the point. > > > > From: PIR > Date: Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 11:58 AM > To: "Lowell, Abbe D." > Cc: CDM > Subject: Re: Email > > Mr. Lowell, > > it’s an honor to virtually meet you. I should preface this by saying I’m > a jailhouse lawyer as a result of being around Cheryl and others for so > long and so intensely. > > Here is what we are thinking and hoping you can help us with: this > kerfuffle with the Secretary’s email is obviously one we are trying very > hard to work through and to explain to people. Comes down to the right to > know, transparency, etc. Which we strongly believe in, and why we turned > over her email. Obviously, the committee investigating the Benghazi attacks > have latched on to this, as well as others in and out of Congress who claim > this subverted several processes, including FOIA. We do not agree with > that, but in the course of this we’ve discussed an ironic hypocrisy that we > believe the public would benefit in knowing before judging anyone’s > intentions and practices: > > Congress is exempt from FOIA. > > Because Congress exempted itself from FOIA. > > Congressional offices do not have to even respond to FOIA requests, let > alone fulfill them. I worked on Capitol Hill for seven years and always > found it hypocritical (right before I filed the request in the circular > cabinet as they say). So while the Republicans and conservative groups tie > the Federal Government up in stitches working on FOIA requests for my > communications with reporters or Cheryl’s with HRC, their own > communications with entities such as the RNC or FOX where they are likely > coordinating — or at the very least discussing — is blinded from the public > eye. > > So we thought one way to demonstrate this would be for someone to submit > a series of FOIA requests to a number of Hill offices, specifically, the > Chairman of the Select Committee, Rep. Trey Gowdy, along with his fellow > Republicans on the Committee, as well as others such as Darrell Issa, Jason > Chaffetz, Lyndsey Graham — all those who pound their chests about the > public’s right to know how their government functions. Just not their 1/3 > of it! And let them respond or not. My guess is that most requests would > come back on letterhead with a standard answer. And btw, there is nothing > preventing someone from voluntarily complying with such a request. > Obviously, those responses would be very compelling to the news media. > > You can probably guess who we thought that someone could be. Given your > stature and career, we can’t think of anyone better to make the point that > the representatives of the people, including the People’s House, does not > want the people to see what they are doing. > > Happy to discuss by phone, and thank you for entertaining what you may > consider a harebrained idea. > > Best, > > Philippe > > > From: CDM > Date: Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 11:34 AM > To: "Lowell, Abbe D." > Cc: PIR > Subject: Re: Hey > > I will call from train tonight. > > In interim, adding Phillppe who has an ask for you from John Podesta. > > cdm > > >