WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, America First Legal (AFL) sued the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to compel the immediate release of documents requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regarding the secretive Presidential Information Technology Committee (PITC) created by former President Barack Obama.
In a statement, Dan Epstein, America First Legal Vice President, emphasized the legal significance of the lawsuit, saying, "America First Legal’s suit today raises significant legal questions the Biden Administration must confront." Epstein further highlighted the implications of the President’s Information Technology Committee, noting that "the President’s Information Technology Committee presumes that all information received by the President is within his control."
Epstein pointed out that this presumption complicates the indictment by the Special Counsel’s Office, particularly regarding the question of what President Trump was authorized to access and retain. He also raised the possibility that if records subject to PITC are considered agency records and not presidential records, it would cast doubt on the National Archives’ decision to refer Trump to the Department of Justice.
The lawsuit filed by AFL stems from a FOIA request filed in January with the Defense Information Systems Agency, seeking to understand the implications of the PITC. The absence of disclosure regarding the PITC and its potential impact on legal proceedings involving President Trump has led AFL to take legal action against the DOD.
AFL is resolute in its pursuit of transparency and accountability, with Epstein stating, "AFL will not cease in its legal battle until the DOD produces documents as required under the law."
The lawsuit and the questions it raises underscore the complexity and legal intricacies surrounding the PITC and its potential ramifications on the prosecution of former President Trump.