Biden admin hit with lawsuits for hiding communications involving Cabinet secretary’s daughter
- April 18, 2023
Thomas Catenacci, Fox News
A watchdog group filed two federal lawsuits against the Biden administration Monday, alleging it has violated federal law by not sharing communications involving Interior Secretary Deb Haaland’s daughter.
Protect the Public’s Trust (PPT), a non-profit watchdog organization, asked a federal court in the lawsuits — one filed against the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the other filed against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) — to compel the two agencies to comply with its information requests. On Jan. 2, PPT filed information requests with the DOI and BLM, asking for communications with Haaland’s daughter Somah and top agency officials.
The information requests, filed under the Freedom of Information Act which requires the federal government to publicly share certain documents, communications and information with the public, came after a Fox News Digital report revealed Somah Haaland had lobbied federal lawmakers on hot-button oil and gas leasing issues over which her mother has oversight.
“Her daughter’s activism and lobbying efforts certainly have the potential to create the perception in the minds of the public that Secretary Haaland could be conflicted on issues under her authority,” PPT Director Michael Chamberlain told Fox News Digital. “Further complicating matters is the participation of an organization that claims Somah Haaland among its leadership in the protest that turned into a riot at the Interior headquarters.”