WASHINGTON — CUNA has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for documents submitted to the U.S. Treasury Department from banking associations as part of the process to develop the Department's recent proposal for sweeping regulatory overhaul.

Part of that proposal included eliminating the credit union charter, as well as the thrift charter, and several media sources have speculated on the roles different trade organizations might have played in the proposal's development.

CUNA General Counsel Eric Richard alluded to this speculation in the April 3 letter requesting the information.

“Thus far, media organs including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Associated Press, the Boston Globe, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Forbes, the Washington Post, Politico, Congress Daily, PBS's Nightly Business Report, and Bloomberg Television have reported on the impact that the Blueprint would have on America's credit unions and on speculation concerning special interest group influence on the Blueprint's formulation,” Richard noted. “This media attention and attendant public interest in the Blueprint and possible special interest group influences on it are likely to continue for a short time after its March 31, 2008 release, but will likely dissipate thereafter. Therefore, the information has a particular value that will be lost if not disseminated quickly.”