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Dean Hides Documents to Protect Presidential Run Fears the Release of "Embarrassing" Information Might Damage Campaign Democrat Presidential hopeful and Vermont Governor Howard Dean promotes himself as "an outsider" in his campaign for the White House - a man of the people far above the gamesmanship and corruption that characterize political life inside the beltway. His efforts to keep the truth about his record hidden from the American people, however, are typically Washingtonian. According to multiple press reports, Dean refuses to release his gubernatorial papers for public review and inspection because, as he recently told a Vermont National Public Radio audience, he does not "want anything embarrassing appearing in the papers." Judicial Watch requested access to Dean's gubernatorial papers under the Vermont Open Records Law. That request was denied on the basis of a deal struck between Dean and the Secretary of State. "As you aspire to the highest elected office in the country, it is important that you open your official records to the American people," Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton wrote in a September 25th letter to Dean. "Failure on your part to provide full disclosure of your records as governor raises disturbing questions concerning accountability and transparency." Dean is basing his refusal to release his gubernatorial papers on the doctrine of "executive privilege," much like the Bush Administration in response to JW's efforts to force the release of the Vice President's Energy Task Force documents. In January 2003, as Dean's presidential campaign was put into motion, he entered into a "Memorandum of Understanding between the Governor and the Secretary of State of Vermont Regarding Archival Storage of Gubernatorial papers." This move effectively sealed his record as Vermont's governor for 10 years. Judicial Watch is demanding that Dean revoke this agreement. "Dean is a man acting like he has something to hide," said JW President Tom Fitton. "Why else would he keep secret documents that describe his behavior as Governor of Vermont? It's time for him to come clean with the American people." Dean hypocritically called on Vice President Cheney to "level with the American public" and release the Cheney Task Force Records on September 15, 2003, even as he continues to block access to his own records. Judicial Watch takes no positions on elections or candidates, but will continue to fight for openness and transparency, so the American people can judge for themselves whether Dean acted appropriately while serving as Governor of Vermont.
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