Deadset Genius Is Using A FOIA Request To Try And Get Obama’s GoT Screeners

Never underestimate the lengths people will go to see a thing earlier than they normally would be allowed to.

HBO is keeping the upcoming sixth season of Game of Thrones under a supremely tight lock-and-key. They’ve flat-out refused to send advance copies of the episodes to anyone in the media – usually the norm so websites and publications can get a head start on reviewing or recapping. And, in fact, no one outside of the HBO organisation has access to any advanced screeners.
No one except Barack Obama, that is.
The US President and general leader of the free world asked to see the new season early, and the show happily obliged.
What one crafty so-and-so has subsequently figured out is that the President is now in possession of the screener files, which potentially makes those screener files subject to Freedom of Information Act requests.
Refinery29 writer Vanessa Golembewski submitted the FOIA request on the basis that the files being in the hands of the leader of the nation technically makes the contents of those files public interest.
Though, by her own admission, the request is “a stretch” due to the fact the files could easily be classified as a politician’s personal property, which would make it exempt from FOIA access. However, it’s an interesting test for the limits of the FOIA, particularly given that Obama’s original request was only granted as a courtesy of his Presidential position.

“I decided this was a perfect opportunity to test the limits of the Freedom Of Information Act. If the president — and by extension, our government — is in possession of a file, surely that file is subject to my request to see it as a U.S. citizen.”


The actual request itself is deliberately brief (it just states “I would like President Obama to share his advance screeners for Game of Thrones with the public“), as shorter FOIA requests are apparently processed faster.

There are rules and guidelines to FOIA requests, and the US act does contain nine exemptions. But none of them seemingly cover entertainment products, with perhaps the exception of Exemption 4, “Trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is confidential or privileged.” It’s also likely that any FOIA request granted would contravene the non-disclosure agreement that the President would have signed before receiving the screeners.
But still, all the points in the world for effort. And Golembewski rightly points out that Obama’s current epic Cool Dad phase could use this valuable info in some ~hip and fresh~ ways.

“Maybe at this point, you may think I’m crazy — or at least a shitty journalist that you cannot believe is paid to do this kind of stuff. But there’s a lot of evidence that makes me think Obama — or at least a government clerk wading through all the FOIA requests — will be delighted to help a girl out. Obama’s in his IDGAF years, in which he’s joining Marc Maron for his podcast and running wild with Bear Grylls. Perhaps, in one of his final cool-president moves, he will thoroughly recap the first couple episodes of GoT in a vlog or something.”


That right there. That’s some damned fine journalism. Damned fine.

Source: Refinery29.

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