Posted on August 6, 2026
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Civil Case No. 1:26-cv-00029-RJL
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
On Thursday, August 6, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted ADAO’s Motion for Partial Summary Judgment in its Freedom of Information Act case concerning the demolition of the White House East Wing. The court ordered the Department of Labor, Department of the Interior, and the National Park Service to make formal determinations on ADAO’s pending requests within 10 working days and subsequently provide the court with a proposed timeline for producing responsive records.
ADAO President and Co-Founder Linda Reinstein and ADAO Counsel Robert M. Sussman issued the following statements:
Linda Reinstein, ADAO President and Cofounder
“After nine months without a response, The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) has obtained a federal court order requiring The Department of Labor, The Department of the Interior, and The National Park Service to respond quickly to our FOIA requests and produce responsive documents about the extent of asbestos assessments, safeguards, and regulatory compliance during the demolition of the East Wing of the White House. This ruling is an important step forward in our push under FOIA for long-delayed answers. The American public deserves the highest level of transparency and protection from toxic substances in every building project, but most especially one involving the federal government and the White House, which should set the gold standard for transparency and compliance with all required safety protocols.
ADAO will remain engaged with the District Court and continue to apply pressure for full disclosure and transparency by every agency involved in the East Wing demolition. As always, our goal is to ensure that workers, the public, and surrounding communities are protected from asbestos exposure and entirely preventable asbestos diseases.”
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Robert M. Sussman, ADAO Counsel
“In its order today the U.S. District Court District of Columbia (Washington, DC) made clear federal agencies cannot disregard FOIA requests and deadlines to avoid accountability for complying with federal regulations that protect the public from dangerous asbestos exposure. Its order establishes firm and expeditious deadlines and meaningful judicial oversight of the agencies’ disclosure obligations, moving ADAO significantly closer to obtaining the records the public deserves to see regarding the East Wing demolition.”