The Trump administration released documents about its decision to freeze nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine but nearly the entire 146-page release was redacted.
The White House Office of Management and Budget and the Defense Department released the documents to the Center for Public Integrity after a court ruled they must comply with the group’s Freedom of Information Act request.
"Every substantive exchange between officials at the agencies was blacked out," the group said after receiving the documents.
Trump admin did not reveal key information:
The documents center on discussions officials had about the legality and appropriateness of the aid freeze.
The judge ordered the administration to release the documents to “ inform the public on a matter of extreme national concern.
“The public needs access to relevant information,” the judge said.
But Public Integrity reports that the administration “removed key passages.”
“Messages that officials at the White House and Pentagon exchanged shortly after the aid halt became public in late August were, for example, completely blacked out,” the group said. “A detailed description by the Pentagon of how the aid program was meant to be carried out — provided to OMB shortly after a whistleblower filed a complaint alleging the program had been mishandled at the White House — was redacted.”
Public Integrity vows to fight in court:
“Public Integrity is planning to file a motion Friday challenging the government’s response,” said Public Integrity’s R. Jeffrey Smith.
“We are deeply disappointed that the public won’t have access to this important information at the heart of the impeachment process. But we will continue to fight to ensure that the documents see the light of day,” added Public Integrity’s chief executive officer, Susan Smith Richardson.
