White House challenges disclosure of Secret Service visitor logs

The Bush administration is challenging a December court decision that ruled in favor of a nonprofit organization’s records request and declared White House visitor logs public documents.

In its appeal, the administration claims that releasing the logs would hinder the executive branch’s ability to collect information and advice from its visitors. It also argued that White House documents are usually exempt from disclosure. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), however, says that since the logs were created and controlled by the Secret Service, they should be released.

CREW is seeking the records to examine visits by prominent religious conservatives to both the White House and Vice President Dick Cheney’s residence, according to the lawsuit.