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Seeking Photos Of Davis-Obama Meeting, Abbott Files FOIA Request With White House

Greg Abbott, the Republican candidate for governor, wants copies of any photos taken when his Democratic opponent, Wendy Davis, met Thursday with President Barack Obama. 

To get them, Abbott has filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the White House.

Davis’ campaign says she had a private meeting with the president at the LBJ Library in Austin, where he helped commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.

Obama is not popular with some Texans and Abbott has tried to link Davis’ policies to the president’s.

Davis’ campaign said in a statement:  "This is nothing but an attempt by Greg Abbott to create a distraction from the heat he is taking over his education plan to impose standardized tests onto four-year-olds." 

Here's a copy of the press release Abbott's campaign emailed Friday afternoon:

Abbott Campaign Issues FOIA Request To White House

AUSTIN – Texans for Greg Abbott sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the White House today requesting they release any photos of Sen. Wendy Davis and President Obama taken by the White House during their meeting on Thursday, a meeting closed to press and photographers. Communications Director Matt Hirsch issued the following statement about Sen. Davis’ troubling lack of transparency: 

“Despite stating unequivocally just last month that she would not avoid having her photo taken with President Obama, this week Sen. Davis did just that. Instead, she met with the President behind closed doors and did not allow any press coverage. We’re hoping that a White House that claims an 'unprecedented' commitment to transparency will hold itself to a higher standard than Sen. Davis apparently does.”

To view the request, click here.

Former KERA staffer Shelley Kofler was news director, managing editor and senior reporter. She is an award-winning reporter and television producer who previously served as the Austin bureau chief and legislative reporter for North Texas ABC affiliate WFAA-TV.