DC Circuit Hears Oral Argments In Case On White House Logs of Pastors' Visits

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday heard oral arguments in Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In the case, a federal district court held that the Secret Service had to release records of visits to the White House and to Vice President Dick Cheney's residence by nine prominent conservative Christian leaders. The records were sought by a watchdog group seeking to show the influence of religious leaders on Bush administration policies. (See prior posting.) The AP reports that in yesterday's Court of Appeals arguments, judges pressed the parties for suggested compromises between secrecy and he President's right to confidential advice. Many of the pleadings and other documents in the case are available from the CREW website.