Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) has requested from the White House documents related to the Office of Management and Budget's editing of testimony on climate change given by the head of the CDC. White House Counsel Fred Fielding responded with a letter on Tuesday. Here's an excerpt: I note that the request by its very nature seeks communications involving pre-decisional deliberative materials relating to an inter-agency review process. … It is clear that the request implicates core Executive Branch interests and raises separation of powers concerns as well. For that reason … it will be necessary to discuss…the possibility of reaching an accommodation that balances Executive Branch prerogatives with the committee's legitimate oversight needs. Translation: "Yeah right, we're never showing you any documents ever. Nice try." Boxer wrote back yesterday saying she is "stunned" the White House would consider claiming executive privilege or separation of powers in this case. Boxer must be feeling hyperbolic this week, because one could not possibly be "stunned" the Bush White House is withholding information. Seriously though, the controversy surrounding OMB's edits of the climate change testimony brings to light a serious point of opacity in the executive branch's policy of information disclosure. OMB officials should not be editing the congressional testimonies of public health officers simply to serve an intended political objective. The best way to prevent future occurrences is to make the process transparent and ensure the public can see how its government is communicating.