Ebook: Presidential Privilege and the Freedom of Information Act

Tells the story behind the development of the Freedom of Information Act and explores its legacy today

The Freedom of Information Act, developed at the height of the Cold War, highlighted the power struggles between Congress and the president in that tumultuous era. By drawing on previously unseen primary source material and exhaustive archival research, this book reveals the largely untold and fascinating narrative of the development of the FOIA, and demonstrates how this single policy issue transformed presidential behaviour. The author explores the policy's lasting influence on the politics surrounding contemporary debates on government secrecy, public records and the public's 'right to know', and examines the modern development and use of 'executive privilege'.

Key Features

• Draws on extensive archival research conducted at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, the John E. Moss Archives, The National Archives in Washington, DC, the Carl Albert Center Archives and the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library
• Provides deep insights into contemporary debates surrounding issues of government secrecy, freedom of information and public records
• Creates a new multidimensional model to rethink our understanding of the politics of policymaking