Judicial Watch announced Tuesday it will sue the U.S. Secret Service for not responding to numerous Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests the group has submitted since July 21, 2014.
“Rarely does Judicial Watch seek an injunction under FOIA, but the Secret Service has ignored a record 19 Freedom of Information requests on Obama and other presidential-level travel,” the organization’s president Tom Fitton said in a statement.
The lawsuit, filed Nov. 10 but announced Tuesday, asks the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to instruct the agency, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, to cooperate. The watchdog group is seeking information about the cost of various protection details for President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and their families.
Judicial Watch sued the government five times from 2012 to 2014 for not responding to other Secret Service expense requests about the costs of transportation, lodging, meals and hours worked.
The watchdog group has tracked $70 million in taxpayer-funded travel expenses by the Obama and Biden families.
“We have little doubt the Secret Service, which is already mired in controversy, is covering up embarrassing numbers about the costs of security for Barack Obama’s vacation and political fundraising trips,” said Fitton.
