Southeastern Legal Foundation Files FOIA Lawsuit Against NARA Seeking Biden’s Pseudonym Emails
SLF asks Court to order NARA to produce Biden’s nearly 5,400 emails
ATLANTA, GA (Aug. 28, 2023): Southeastern Legal Foundation (SLF) announced that it filed a federal lawsuit against the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for all emails from when then-Vice President Joe Biden used three personal pseudonym email accounts to forward government information and discuss government business with his son, Hunter Biden, and others. NARA and other sources have confirmed that Biden used the names Robin Ware, Robert L. Peters, and JRB Ware.
The lawsuit is the latest in SLF’s successful efforts to expose the direct and documented relationship between Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, Hunter Biden’s companies, and the federal government dating back to 2017.
SLF requested these now highly sought after emails from NARA on June 9, 2022, through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Unfortunately, after identifying nearly 5,400 potentially responsive records, NARA has dragged its feet and still has not produced a single email. SLF not turns to the court, asking it to order NARA to release Biden’s emails for SLF and the American public to see.
SLF first asked NARA to release Biden’s emails in 2021. NARA responded that because it did not take custody of then-vice president’s records until January 20, 2017, the emails could not be made public until January 20, 2022.
In 2022, SLF renewed its request with a second FOIA request that is at the heart of SLF’s lawsuit. NARA has failed to produce a single one of these emails.
Kimberly Hermann, SLF General Counsel explained, “All too often, public officials abuse their power by using it for their personal or political benefit. When they do, many seek to hide it. The only way to preserve governmental integrity is for NARA to release Biden’s nearly 5,400 emails to SLF and thus the public. The American public deserves to know what is in them.”
The Biden emails that SLF has been trying to expose for nearly two years are now also at the center of a congressional investigation into the Bidens’ foreign business dealings. In an attempt to get the very same records, in August 2023, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer demanded NARA turn over unredacted copies of these emails, among others.
Braden Boucek, SLF Litigation Director further explained, “Public transparency is the most vital check the citizens have for holding our political class accountable. After over a year of trying to work with NARA, its continued unreasonable delays have forced SLF to file this lawsuit.”