RNC Destroyed Official Email Records

A new report from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform finds that the White House likely violated the Presidential Records Act by using Republican National Committee (RNC) email accounts. Karl Rove alone sent or received 140,216 emails through his RNC account.

But that's not all. There is also evidence that the RNC has systematically destroyed many email records, including all email records for 51 White House officials.

The Presidential Records Act requires the office of the President to preserve records related to official White House work.

The Oversight Committee found:

The number of White House officials given RNC email accounts is higher than previously disclosed. In March 2007, White House spokesperson Dana Perino said that only a "handful of officials" had RNC email accounts. In later statements, her estimate rose to "50 over the course of the administration." In fact, the Committee has learned from the RNC that at least 88 White House officials had RNC email accounts.

White House officials made extensive use of their RNC email accounts. The RNC has preserved 140,216 emails sent or received by Karl Rove. Over half of these emails (75,374) were sent to or received from individuals using official ".gov" email accounts. Other heavy users of RNC email accounts include former White House Director of Political Affairs Sara Taylor (66,018 emails) and Deputy Director of Political Affairs Scott Jennings (35,198 emails). These email accounts were used by White House officials for official purposes, such as communicating with federal agencies about federal appointments and policies.

There has been extensive destruction of the emails of White House officials by the RNC. Of the 88 White House officials who received RNC email accounts, the RNC has preserved no emails for 51 officials...In addition, there are major gaps in the email records of the 37 White House officials for whom the RNC did preserve emails. The RNC has preserved only 130 emails sent to Mr. Rove during President Bush’s first term and no emails sent by Mr. Rove prior to November 2003.

There is evidence that the Office of White House Counsel under Alberto Gonzales may have known that White House officials were using RNC email accounts for official business, but took no action to preserve these presidential records. In her deposition, Ms. Ralston testified that she searched Mr. Rove’s RNC email account in response to an Enron-related investigation in 2001 and the investigation of Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald later in the Administration. According to Ms. Ralston, the White House Counsel’s office knew about these emails because "all of the documents we collected were then turned over to the White House Counsel’s office." There is no evidence, however, that White House Counsel Gonzales initiated any action to ensure the preservation of the email records that were destroyed by the RNC.

Read the report from the Oversight Committee and see the full list of White House officials with RNC accounts here.

Comments (7) «

This shouldn't suprise anyone. There has been so scandals with Republicans. God only knows what else they could be hiding that none of us know about. It's a shame what this administration in general has done to our great nation. I hope that things will turn around for the better. Republicans have brought such shame and disgrace to our country. Let's just hope that Hillary gets in office in 2008 with Bill so they can clean up this mess and help get America back on the right track. Respected at home and around the world.

1

DemocratKickingAss on June 19, 2007 at 01:21 AM

Not surprising, as DKA has said. It's just crimes we can't convict them of. Even though it could be a violation of a very act the Chimpanzee King signed into law.

Therefore, we must make them take their own medicine.

2

Foxwood on June 19, 2007 at 09:36 AM

"Let's just hope that Hillary gets in office in 2008 with Bill so they can clean up this mess and help get America back on the right track. Respected at home and around the world."
- Oh, so you mean when Hilldawg is elected she will have to clean up the oval office? Hillary Clinton talking about what is on or under the carpet of the oval office thanks to Bill. And Bill, what's he going to be? The first Lady? If Hillary gets elected, the United States will be worse off than we were before 9/11. Hillary was the one who forbade military officers from wearing their uniforms in the White House because they looked "too military". Being repected around the world; to a democrat means to kowtow to every other country just so we can appease them and not make anyone angry at us for acting in OUR best interests. Total crap.

3

RushBabies on June 19, 2007 at 09:33 PM

AMEN to Chrish! Stop being so hypocritical & grow up! Sandy Berger should be in the slammer for what he did. Where is the outrage for what he did??????????

4

Ladybell on June 20, 2007 at 04:27 PM

I certainly hope you guys don't think that just the act of publicizing this will do anything. Or that posturing or wagging our fingers will have a big effect. The American public is much to distracted, and the GOP criminals much too brazen, to notice such mild and "civic" reactions. No, these kind of criminal acts must be addressed aggressively - with big sticks. There is a question whether this Democratic Congress has the chutzpah to weld its authority to actually defend the Constitution. Does it have any teeth? Please, please, for the good of the country, don't disappoint us.

5

YaFatha on June 20, 2007 at 10:59 PM

What can we do about this? Won't we have to go through Gonzales and can he just refuse to prosecute? Also can't President Bush just pardon all? We should ask President Bush publically now if he would pardon them? That way it would effect the election, right?

6

freeforall on June 21, 2007 at 04:19 PM

What Sandy did wasn't a crime. He took them to study and there were several copies still in the information bank.

7

freeforall on June 21, 2007 at 04:23 PM

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