TSU Stonewalls YAF Public Records Requests Related to Clinton Visits

TSU Stonewalls YAF Public Records Request Related to Clinton Visits Texas Southern University is stonewalling public information requests filed by Young America’s Foundation in relation to Hillary Clinton’s multiple visits to its campus in 2016, bizarrely claiming “there are no documents responsive to [the] request.” The university, which is public, hosted a Clinton campaign rally on February 20 and awarded its inaugural Barbara Jordan Public-Private Leadership Gold Medallion to Clinton on June 4. Young America’s Foundation’s Texas Public Information Act requests, which can be read in full here, attempted to obtain documents related to both events as well as any efforts the school made to host other candidates for national office. In response to YAF’s requests, which were filed on July 28, Texas Southern wrote, “At this time and after a thorough search there are no documents responsive to your request.”

A search of the Wikileaks database of John Podesta’s emails uncovers a chain related to the award Clinton received June 4 titled, “A few odds and ends,” where Podesta told Amanda Renteria, “Sheila Jackson Lee is stalking me. In addition to wanting to be invovled in everything [sic], she specifically asked me about whether Hillary would accept the Barbara Jordan Medallion for Service at Texas Southern University.” It’s seems highly unlikely the school would have no public records in relation to either visit from Secretary Clinton. “TSU’s response demonstrates either the school’s incompetence in planning for the event or a deliberate failure to comply with state law,” said Young America’s Foundation President Ron Robinson. Young America’s Foundation will continue to pursue the documents and has alerted the office of Texas’ Attorney General.