WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court says work-related emails on a private account used by the White House’s top science adviser are subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
The three judge panel on Tuesday sided with a conservative think tank that had filed a lawsuit seeking emails from John Holdren, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
The ruling overturns a lower court judge that said Holdren’s office did not have to comply with a document request from the Competitive Enterprise Institute.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia rejected the agency’s argument that emails on a private server were outside the control of the government.
Media organizations including The Associated Press have backed the lawsuit.
