UC Irvine, the Olive Tree Initiative and the California Freedom of Information Law

The University of California at Irvine, the Center for Global Peace and Conflict and the Olive Tree Initiative are the subject of a long-standing state freedom of information request from a local Orange County citizen (whom I know). Over the past several months, this citizen has received various requested documents relative to the operation of the OTI at UCI. The documents reveal a close relationship between the university administration and the Orange County Jewish Federation and the Rose Project (a subsidiary of the Federation, if you will.)

Yet, not all of the requested documents have been provided. The requester has been informed by the records office at UCI over the months that all the requested records had been provided, that ledgers, which were supposed to have been delivered October 24, were not yet available, and that other requested documents were delayed to November 24 (and on and on). The requester was also been informed by said office that if he/she would retract the request for ledgers, everything could be delivered November 24, otherwise, it would take a year to come up with the ledgers. The requester was also informed by said office at one point that the entire problem with the requested documents was a result of the requester mis-identifying one George S Rishmawi with another George Rishmawi, etc, etc.

Clearly, the poor folks in the records office are in communication with those at UCI involved in running the Olive Tree Initiative. How else would the poor person in the records office know about George Rishmawi and the earlier confusion over two persons with the same name, a confusion that has long been cleared up?

Here is the crux of the issue. It has been learned from whom the OTI has received funding. One of the major funders is none other than the OC Jewish Federation and its subsidiary, the Rose Project to the tune of some $60,000. The problem is that the OTI and the university can't seem to come up with records showing how all this money has been spent-especially in the Palestinian territories. Now color me naive, but it seems to me that a public university and the Olive Tree Initiative are required to keep detailed records as to monies received and spent. That information should be available to the public. Pretty much all that is known so far is that some $3,000 was spent to hold a dinner at a local hotel and $4,000 was paid in 2010 to a woman who was an OTI tour guide, but who did not have a (required) vendor number.

This dance has been going on for months now. The promised documents have been delayed and delayed again. The question now begs; is this a stonewalling in progress? Is OTI afraid to disclose to whom some of that donated money has been paid-especially in the Middle East? It certainly seems so. Will the requester receive the documents requested as is legally required under the California FOIA? Or will said requester be forced to go to court-just as the Pajamas Media people did to enforce disclosure of Justice Department political hires (under Eric Holder) pursuant to the federal FOIA? Why is it that the Olive Tree Initiative and the university are unable to locate and provide requested records as to expenditures?

Stay tuned.