As part of its mission to help American citizens learn how the United States government spends their money, AllGov asks each of 350 departments, agencies and programs to reveal their 10 leading contractors. Most of these government entities cooperate and share the details. Some claim that the information is difficult to compile or pass the buck back and forth between different staff members. However it is quite rare for an agency to actually refuse to give out contractor information.

Now AllGov has encountered one such exception…the U.S. Botanic Garden. Located on the National Mall, the Botanic Garden complex includes Bartholdi Park, a Conservatory, and the National Garden. It is run by the Architect of the Capital under the auspices of Congress with an annual budget of $12 million. Staff of the Botanic Garden referred AllGov’s request to the office of the Architect of the Capital. Eva Malecki, communications officer for the Architect, told AllGov that the agency would not release information about contractor spending because it “may contain security or procurement sensitive information.”

Security sensitive information? One can only imagine what secrets the Botanic Garden has buried in its soil.

-David Wallechinsky

(investigative research by Danny Biederman)