The Hill News

New Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) has made an early move at an administration probe by requesting documents on how the Department of Homeland Security handled Freedom of Information Act requests.

The Associated Press reported Sunday that it had obtained a letter sent late Friday by Issa to DHS, asking for documentation related to a July AP story about an agency policy that required political appointees to review many FOIA requests.

At the time, the AP had received emails indicating that in some cases the release of politically sensitive materials was delayed.

According to Issa's letter, the DHS told committee staff that the appointees were proofreading the FOIA response letters but not otherwise editing or delaying their release. Still, the! Issa letter states that the committee was told the practice was abandoned after the AP article.

Oversight panel spokesman Frederick Hill told the AP on Sunday that Issa sent the letter "because the committee has received documents that raise questions about the veracity of DHS officials" in regards to the FOIA requests.

The Oversight Committee is expected to announce its first hearing Wednesday. It will also be releasing a letter following-up on an issue related to FOIA responses, according to a congressional source.

On Tuesday, the panel will announce its seven subcommittee chairs.