White House Office of Administration Ordered to Preserve E-Mails

Even though Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington ("CREW") [Ed. note-I do some legal work for CREW, but am not involved in this case at present] lost at the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in its attempt to get e-mails from the White House Office of Administration ("OA") because the Court ruled that the OA was not subject to the FOIA, CREW has gained an order requiring the OA to preserve all material that would be subject to the FOIA if CREW prevails on appeal.

Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that the OA must preserve the material until the resolution of CREW's appeal or January 5, 2009, whichever event is earlier.  If the appeal is not resolved by January 5, 2009, CREW may file a renewed motion for a stay past that date.