Pawlenty fires back against DNC’s FOIA request

On Wednesday, ABC News reported that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has begun organizing their opposition files against potential 2012 Republican presidential candidates. The DNC filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Pentagon, requesting information on any communications between the department and nine GOP politicians.

The DNC’s shortlist of Republican presidential aspirants consists of Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and South Dakota Sen. John Thune.

While the FOIA is intended to gather negative information, in some respects, gaining a spot on the DNC’s list is a compliment to the Republicans. These nine politicians appear to be the slate of candidates that the Democrats believe has the best chance at gaining the Republican 2012 nomination; other GOPers publicly flirting with presidential campaigns — such as former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum or Indiana Rep. Mike Pence — were snubbed for the list.

But Pawlenty did not receive the FOIA request as positive news, and fired back at the DNC on Thursday. Minnesota’s governor filed his own FOIA request, seeking information on the DNC’s communications with the federal government on the health-care reform bill.

Governor Pawlenty’s Freedom First PAC will submit FOIA requests to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other relevant agencies seeking any documents related to the DNC’s communications with Federal officials about the Federal health care reforms. The request will specifically ask for documents related to the timing of promotional taxpayer-funded ads and mailings, DNC polls about health care, and the DNC’s role in promoting the President’s legislation.

Where the DNC’s request was all about gathering behind-the-scenes information, Pawlenty’s FOIA is all about public posturing; such a broad FOIA application is unlikely to result in any of the specific information gained, and, instead, just provides red meat to conservative primary voters who are likely to be receptive to speculation about the collision between governing and Democratic politicking.

Patrick Caldwell is the American Independent’s Minnesota correspondent.