Communications of the White House Transition Council from December 1, 2016 through January 20, 2017 (22-17713-F)

The materials in FOIA 22-17713-F are a selective, not necessarily all-inclusive, body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult an archivist about related materials.

FOIA 22-17713-F requested materials related to communications among members of the White House Transition Coordinating Council from December 1st, 2016 to January 20th, 2017. This council was formed to facilitate the presidential transition at the end of the Obama administration.  

This FOIA primarily contains emails and various other correspondence between members of the White House Transition Council. This council includes Denis McDonough, Anita Breckenridge, Rudy Mehrbani, Neil Eggleston, Kristie Canegallo, Shaun Donovan, Susan Rice, Lisa Monaco, Jeffrey Zients, James Clapper, Denise Roth, and Tim Horne. 

6 folders, approximately 725 pages / 570 assets 
 

  • Electronic Records
  • Textual

The materials in FOIA 22-17713-F are a systematic body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult an archivist about related materials.  

Documents responsive to this FOIA were found in these collection areas – White House Office of Records Management (WHORM), Staff Member Office Files, and Obama Presidential Electronic Records.

WHORM Subject and WHORM Alpha Files are processed at the document level.  

The WHORM Alpha File was compiled by the White House Office of Records Management and is a series of documents arranged by name of persons, organizations, or events.  

The WHORM Subject File was compiled by the White House Office of Records Management and consists of a series of documents assigned a letter/number combination and filed in a subject category. A complete listing of the subject categories, including a detailed description of each category, is available on the National Archives Catalog.

Staff Member Office Files are maintained at the folder level by staff members within their individual offices and document all levels of administration activity.  Staff Member 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 Executive Office of the President (EOP) instance of the Electronic Records Archive (ERA) contains electronic records created or received by Obama administration staff. These records are stored in Search and Access Sets (SAS) that represent their originating computer program, such as Exchange Email or the Worker and Visitor Entry System (WAVES). In addition to records captured from the White House’s electronic systems, EOP-ERA also contains records from the home and shared drives used by White House staff.

The following is a list of documents, folders, and electronic search results lists (SRLs) that were processed in response to FOIA 22-17713-F:

Textual Records

Records Management, White House Office of

Subject Files - ND007 (Military Personnel)

Records Management, White House Office of (WHORM)

1223013

Staff Member Office Files

Chief of Staff, Office of the - Deputy Chief of Staff

Blakemore, Emily - Subject Files

Binder - Anita Decker Breckenridge, White House Transition Coordinating Council Meeting, 10/28/2016

Chief of Staff, Office of the - Deputy Chief of Staff 

Breckenridge, Anita Decker - Subject Files 

Binder - 2016 Presidential Transition, Part I: Background and Historical Info [1]

Binder - 2016 Presidential Transition, Part II: Overall White House/Agency Transition [1]

Binder - 2016 Presidential Transition, Part II: Overall White House/Agency Transition [2]

Binder - 2016 Presidential Transition, Part III: GSA/NARA

Electronic Records

Email_Presidential contains 319 assets, of which 18 are released in full, 7 are withheld in part, and 294 are withheld in full.

File Share 2 contains 251 assets, , of which 9 are released in full, 0 are withheld in part, and 242 are withheld in full.

Collection is open to all researchers. Access to Barack Obama Presidential Records is governed by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) (44 USC 2201) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 USC 552, as amended) and therefore records may be restricted in whole or in part in accordance with legal exemptions.

Documents in this collection that were prepared by officials of the United States government as part of their official duties are in the public domain. Researchers are advised to consult the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, USC) which governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material.

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

Staff Archivists, 2026. Previously restricted materials are added as they are released.