(2012-0876-F) Boy Scouts of America v. James Dale

19 folders, approximately 1,235 pages

This collection consists of records related to the landmark 2000 decision by the United States Supreme Court in Boy Scouts of America (BSA) v James Dale. Dale was an Eagle Scout who became an adult member of the BSA as an assistant scoutmaster in New Jersey. The records consist of articles, briefing papers, drafts, emails, legal briefs, letters, meeting notes, memos, memorandums of understanding, routing forms, and transcripts. Topics cover discrimination, government sponsorship/support of private organizations, homosexuality, honorary chairmanships, legal strategy, and youth programs.

The materials in FOIA 2012-0876-F are a selective body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult the archivist about additional related materials. FOIA 2012-0876-F concerns the landmark 2000 decision by the US Supreme Court in Boy Scouts of America (BSA) v James Dale. Dale was an Eagle Scout who became an adult member of the BSA as an assistant scoutmaster in New Jersey. During an interview with a local paper while in college in July 1990 Dale mentioned he was gay. The following week he received a letter from BSA terminating his association with the organization. Dale sued BSA for discrimination and the resulting case went all the way to the Supreme Court, whose 5-4 decision sided with the BSA. The records consist of articles, briefing papers, drafts, emails, legal briefs, letters, meeting notes, memos, memorandum of understanding (MOU), routing forms, and transcripts. Topics cover discrimination, government sponsorship/support of private organizations, homosexuality, POTUS honorary chairmanships, legal strategy, and youth programs.

Textual

Records that are responsive to this FOIA request were found in these collections areas— Clinton Presidential Records: White House Office of Records Management (WHORM) Subject Files: General, Clinton Presidential Records: Staff and Office Files, and Clinton Presidential Records: Automated Records Management System [Email]. The WHORM Subject file was compiled by the White House Office of Records Management and is a series of categories designated by a letter/number combination. Staff and Office files were maintained at the folder level by staff members within their individual offices and document all levels of administration activity. WHORM files are processed at the document level; whereas, Staff and Office files are processed at the folder level, that is, individual documents are not selected and removed from a folder for processing. While this method maintains folder integrity, it frequently results in the incidental processing of documents that are not wholly responsive to the subject area. The Automated Records Management System (ARMS) is a database that contains email records of the Executive Office of the President. This system maintained unclassified Presidential email. The ARMS dataset is comprised of 6 sub-series of email records called “Buckets.” The buckets include NPR, OPD, POTUS, WHO, CEA, and Default. ARMS emails are printed and arranged chronologically by creation date.

Collection is open to all researchers. Access to Clinton Presidential Records is governed by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. Chapter 22, as amended) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552, as amended) and therefore records may be restricted in whole or in part in accordance with legal exemptions.

Official records of William Jefferson Clinton’s presidency are housed at the Clinton Presidential Library and administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) under the provisions of the Presidential Records Act (PRA).

Staff Archivist, 2013. Previously restricted materials are added as they are released.

The following is a list of documents and folders processed in response to FOIA 2012-0876-F:
FOIA 2012-0876-F includes WHORM records from these subject codes:
[WE009] [Welfare-Youth Programs]
Box 1
Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM: Subject Files
Category Case Number
[WE009] 416518
WE009 421685
[WE009] 427738
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Chief of Staff
Echaveste, Maria
Boy Scouts [OA 18521]
Homosexuals/BSA [Boy Scouts of America] [OA 16802]
Counsel’s Office
General Files
Dale/Boy Scouts Case [1] [OA 20839]
Dale/Boy Scouts Case [2] [OA 20839]
Marshall, Bill
Boy Scouts [1] [OA 18909]
Boy Scouts [2] [OA 18909]
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files (continued)
Oetken, Paul
Boy Scouts [1] [OA 40308]
Boy Scouts [2] [OA 40308]
Boy Scouts v Dale [1] [OA 40308]
Boy Scouts v Dale [2] [OA 40308]
Box 2
Boy Scouts v Dale [3] [OA 40308]
Boy Scouts v Dale [4] [OA 40308]
Domestic Policy Council
Liu, Eric
Gays and Lesbians-Boys Scouts [OA 103892]
Public Liaison
Potter, Julian
Boy Scouts [1] [OA 21280]
Boy Scouts [2] [OA 21280]
Clinton Presidential Records: Automated Records Management System [Email]
WHO [OA/ID 500000]
[Boy Scouts and James Dale]
[08/04/1999 – 07/13/2000]