Presumed 2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush launched a new website this morning that allows anyone to search a database of the nearly 300,000 emails sent and received from his Jeb.org address during his time as Governor.
Transparency, defined.
But some on Twitter aren’t happy with the former governor:
In a move to highlight his transparency, Jeb Bush publishes 1000s of emails he received, leaving senders' names and email addresses visible
— Bob Sorokanich (@RSorokanich) February 10, 2015
Jeb Bush basically just doxxed thousands of Floridians http://t.co/lUTrILTOye
— Gizmodo (@Gizmodo) February 10, 2015
https://twitter.com/IshanShah/status/565197065697775616
Oops! Jeb Bush Site Publishes Private Info Of Thousands http://t.co/cgrB5NXwAP pic.twitter.com/Dq0izzqImv
— Crooks and Liars (@crooksandliars) February 10, 2015
But as the Daily Caller reported earlier today, many of these emails were already obtained by Democrats:
Many of these emails had already been obtained by Democrats, including the liberal opposition research outfit American Bridge, through a public records request and posted online.
And the emails are considered of public record:
Irony of Jeb Bush getting credit for releasing emails: Florida has some pretty good sunshine laws. Reporters could have gotten them anyway.
— Reid Wilson (@PoliticsReid) February 10, 2015
https://twitter.com/comebackzack/status/565198858062266368
https://twitter.com/comebackzack/status/565198597612789760
However, just because the records are in the public record doesn’t mean Jeb Bush is entirely in the clear. He could have redacted some of the personal information before he posted it. For example, one email Twitchy reviewed (and is not posting or linking to) between Bush and a veteran looking for help on paying off student loans includes the soldier’s Social Security number.
We’ll see if Bush makes any changes to the database to address these concerns.
As far as transparency goes, it’s not only emails that Bush has opened to the public. He seems to have surprised reporters by actually allowing them to cover a fundraiser he held earlier this morning:
At Tallahassee fundraiserQ & A, Jeb reminds crowd that "we have press here…I need to remind myself."
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) February 10, 2015
Another sign of Jeb Bush transparency push? Reporters allowed in today to cover his remarks, and Q and A, at super PAC fundraiser.
— Matt Viser (@mviser) February 10, 2015
In a very rare move, @JebBush team allowed press into his super PAC fundraiser for his remarks and the q&a. Obama doesn’t do that.
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) February 10, 2015
That press is allowed into/live tweeting from @JebBush fundraiser, must be a shock to media that gets escorted to wee-wee at Clinton events.
— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) February 10, 2015
Ha! “Wee-wee.” That’s in relation to this story from a New York Time reporter who was escorted to the bathroom by Clinton staffers while covering a Clinton Global Initiative event.
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