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Illinois State Archives Letter Raises Questions about Obama’s Records Claim | Judicial Watch
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(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch, the public interest group that forced the release of Hillary Clinton’s daily White House schedule on March 20, announced today that the preliminary results of an investigation into Senator Barack Obama’s record as an Illinois State Senator show that his statements about the maintenance of his files are suspect. Judicial Watch’s investigation included the filing of a Freedom of Information Act request with the Illinois State Archives to obtain his records and papers. Judicial Watch is seeking: “Any and all public documents…resulting from Illinois State Senator Barack Obama’s years in the office (1997-2004) that the ISA [has] in its possession.” Judicial Watch filed its open records request on February 7, 2008, after public statements made by Obama regarding his Illinois State Senate records.
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During a campaign stop last fall, Obama at first claimed he did not have any records of his eight years in the Illinois state legislature. “I don't have — I don't maintain — a file of eight years of work in the state Senate because I didn't have the resources available to maintain those kinds of records.”
When questioned about the records by Meet the Press host Tim Russert on November 11, 2007, Obama said: “Well, let’s be clear. In the state Senate, every single piece of information, every document related to state government was kept by the state of Illinois and has been disclosed and is available and has been gone through with a fine-toothed comb by news outlets in Illinois…every document related to my interactions with government is available right now.”
However, according to a February 25th letter from the Illinois Office of the Secretary of State in response to Judicial Watch’s open records request, “The ISA does not maintain Senator Obama’s personal records or papers. [Nor] does the ISA maintain records generated by his office. In addition, the ISA has received no requests from Senator Obama to archive any records formerly in his possession.”
Judicial Watch also contacted Obama’s successor, Kwame Raoul, who stated in a March 5 letter to Judicial Watch: “Any documents I would have inherited from Senator Obama would have been constituent work files, and those were reviewed and discarded upon me taking office.” State Senator Raoul also argued that even if he had any Obama records, he would not be required to disclose them.
“Barack Obama, just like Hillary Clinton, has a records problem,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Our investigation suggests Senator Obama could have had his records archived so that they are available to the public, but, to this day, has chosen not to do so. Apparently, he does not want a complete paper trail of his time in the Illinois State Senate. Where are his office records?”
Judicial Watch recently forced the release of Hillary Clinton’s White House daily schedule through a lawsuit, and is pursuing her phone logs, per a recent court order.
March 27, 2008
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As I have another post on Hot List about Obama being the only Senator in the house to vote present on Bill SB485 which would ensure no early release for sex offenders I was challanged to find the bill and Obama's actual vote. I spent over 2 hours online researching and the bill that was introduced by Jim Durkin was nowhere to be found, then I found found out why I can't find it! I will keep searching for that bill and the actual transcripts and documents, but if I can't find it don't blame me, but blame Barack Obama!
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THANKS! VERY INTERESTING!
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bump
and thanks for the prayers. I will do a journal later :) thanks again they worked!!! -
I'm glad livingangle, God is always faithful to answer our prayers as what's always best for us!
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Hmmmmm....very interesting! BUMP!
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Submitted by godzgirl21 at 7:47 PM on July 18, 2008
As I have another post on Hot List about Obama being the only Senator in the house to vote present on Bill SB485 which would ensure no early release for sex offenders I was challanged to find the bill and Obama's actual vote. I spent over 2 hours online researching and the bill that was introduced by Jim Durkin was nowhere to be found, then I found found out why I can't find it! I will keep searching for that bill and the actual transcripts and documents, but if I can't find it don't blame me, but blame Barack Obama!
While I agree that Obama's records should be available and the lack of them concerns me, you can't seriously think that the Ill State Legislator would not have a record of SB485. If Obama was the only one to vote against it, then it must have passed and be on file somewhere. And I'm sure he was not responsible for maintaining the states records.
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Submitted by
at 7:47 PM on July 18, 2008As I have another post on Hot List about Obama being the only Senator in the house to vote present on Bill SB485 which would ensure no early release for sex offenders I was challanged to find the bill and Obama's actual vote. I spent over 2 hours online researching and the bill that was introduced by Jim Durkin was nowhere to be found, then I found found out why I can't find it! I will keep searching for that bill and the actual transcripts and documents, but if I can't find it don't blame me, but blame Barack Obama!
Wow thats funny SRiverO found it and posted it in a reply, also funny it wasnt all about sex offenders.
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Summary: The Associated Press reported that Sen. Barack Obama "says he can't step up and produce his own records from his days in the Illinois state Senate. He says he hasn't got any." But Obama did not claim that the documents do not exist. In fact, the article quoted Obama saying: "I don't have -- I don't maintain -- a file of eight years of work in the state Senate because I didn't have the resources available to maintain those kinds of records."
http://mediamatters.org/items/200711150016
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