A federal judge <A HREF="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071112/ap_on_go_pr_wh/white_house_e_mail">ordered the White House to preserve copies of all its emails,</A> a move that Bush administration lawyers had argued strongly against. U.S. District Judge Henry Kennedy directed the Executive Office of the President to safeguard the material in response to two lawsuits that seek to determine whether the White House has destroyed emails in violation of federal law.
The White House is seeking dismissal of the lawsuits brought by two private groups--Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Government and the National Security Archive. The organizations allege the disappearance of 5 million White House emails. The court order issued by Kennedy, an appointee of President Clinton, is directed at maintaining backup tapes which contain copies of White House emails.