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BREAKING: Judge Orders DOJ to Release Fast and Furious Documents Withheld From Congress
Townhall.com ^ | July 31, 2014 | Katie Pavlich

Posted on 07/31/2014 2:53:37 PM PDT by Kaslin

Thanks to a Freedom of Information Act Lawsuit pursued against the Department of Justice by government watchdog Judicial Watch, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has ruled documents being withheld from Congress under President Obama's claim of executive privilege must be turned over. Obama made the claim on the same day Attorney General Eric Holder was voted in criminal and civil contempt of Congress in June 2012.

"This order forces the Obama DOJ, for the first time, to provide a detailed listing of all documents that it has withheld from Congress and the American people for years about the deadly Fast and Furious gun running scandal," Judicial Watch released in a statement.

The FOIA lawsuit has been ongoing for 16-months and is now proceeding after a lengthy delay. The Justice Department originally asked the court for an indefinite hold on a FOIA request from Judicial Watch, citing executive privilege and an ongoing investigation. That indefinite hold request was shot down more than a year ago.

The documentation DOJ is required to now turn over is a "Vaughn index" of "all requested Fast and Furious materials from a June 2012 Judicial Watch FOIA request."

A Vaughn index must: (1) identify each document withheld; (2) state the statutory exemption claimed; and (3) explain how disclosure would damage the interests protected by the claimed exemption." In ordering the DOJ to provide Judicial Watch the Vaughn index, the Court ruled, “In this circuit, when an agency is withholding documents under exemption claims, courts require that the agency provide a Vaughn index so that the FOIA requester – at a distinct informational disadvantage – may test the agency’s claims.”

“Once again, Judicial Watch has beat Congress to the punch in getting key information about another Obama scandal – this time, the Fast and Furious outrage,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement. “A federal court has ordered the Obama administration to produce information that could, for the first time, provide specific details who in the administration is responsible for Fast and Furious lies to Congress and the American people. This is a battle that put Eric Holder in contempt of Congress, saw Nixonian assertions of executive privilege by Barack Obama, and a hapless Congress in face of all this lawlessness. Finally, we may get some accountability for Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and the countless others murdered as a result of the insanely reckless Obama administration program.”

This is a huge step forward.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government
KEYWORDS: banglist; barack0bama; brianterry; departmentofjesters; doj; ericholder; executiveprivilege; katiepavlich; lampholder; opfastandfurious
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The rest of the title is: Under Obama Executive Privilege Claim
1 posted on 07/31/2014 2:53:37 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin
Aw......Crap!


2 posted on 07/31/2014 2:55:21 PM PDT by ButThreeLeftsDo (Please $upport Free Republic.)
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To: Kaslin

YES!!!


3 posted on 07/31/2014 2:55:26 PM PDT by madmominct
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To: Kaslin

I have to give JW a point for this one.


4 posted on 07/31/2014 2:56:50 PM PDT by KC Burke (Gowdy for Supreme Court)
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To: Kaslin

Damn. Congress is pretty much useless. This is the second time that they have been upstaged by Judicial Watch.


5 posted on 07/31/2014 2:57:34 PM PDT by dhs12345
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To: Kaslin

Hey Nero and Eric the Red...UP YOURS!


6 posted on 07/31/2014 2:57:37 PM PDT by VRWCarea51 (The original 1998 version)
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To: Kaslin

...the other shoe drops...

...for the fifteenth or twentieth time...


7 posted on 07/31/2014 2:58:40 PM PDT by PapaNew (Freedom always wins the debate in the forum of ideas)
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To: Kaslin

I can remember the days when Judicial Watch was ridiculed, but they have been doing some serious work lately that has really paid off. Thank you, JW!!!


8 posted on 07/31/2014 2:58:57 PM PDT by Qiviut ( One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides. (W.E. Johns)
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To: Kaslin

Wow!


9 posted on 07/31/2014 2:59:06 PM PDT by IllumiNaughtyByNature ($1.84 - The price of a gallon of gas on Jan. 20th, 2009.)
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To: Kaslin

Sorry, but the hard disk crashed. No, the dog ate them. No, Martians, that’s it, Martians!


10 posted on 07/31/2014 2:59:09 PM PDT by Petrosius
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To: Kaslin

Here come the crashed disk drives!


11 posted on 07/31/2014 2:59:22 PM PDT by matthew fuller (https://www.facebook.com/BrianKolfage/posts/714871581908295)
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To: Kaslin

We will not obey this.
Instead, to show our anger and disgust,
we will have our squads attack and rape some elderly crackers."

12 posted on 07/31/2014 2:59:54 PM PDT by Diogenesis (The EXEMPT Congress is complicit in the absence of impeachment)
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To: madmominct

They will provide a list of all evidence that still exists.

(on a yellow post it note.)


13 posted on 07/31/2014 3:01:18 PM PDT by Dan(9698)
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To: Kaslin

And how long does the DOJ have to create this “Vaughn index?”


14 posted on 07/31/2014 3:02:00 PM PDT by Yo-Yo (Is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
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To: Kaslin

Anyone wanna bet Holder and the administration thumb their noses at this ruling?

I will be the happiest man on earth the day I see Holder, Obama, Reid, etc. in orange jumpsuits.


15 posted on 07/31/2014 3:02:36 PM PDT by Kevin in California
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To: Kaslin

One question ... Eric Holder has already been held in CONTEMPT of CONGRESS.

When is the punishment coming?

Or is being held in contempt of congress simply akin to telling him: “You’ve been a very bad boy.”?


16 posted on 07/31/2014 3:02:57 PM PDT by SeekAndFind (If at first you don't succeed, put it out for beta test.)
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To: Dan(9698)
Hard drive demolition derby in Washington.

Progress at JW since the Larry Klayman days.

17 posted on 07/31/2014 3:03:28 PM PDT by blackdog (There is no such thing as healing, only a balance between destructive and constructive forces.)
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To: dhs12345

Maybe a donation to Judicial Watch is in order. They seem to able to get results with this administration. Congress is more adept at playing politics with the issues.


18 posted on 07/31/2014 3:04:01 PM PDT by oldbrowser (We have a rogue government in Washington)
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To: Kaslin

Holder and Obama will most likely ignore the court order for months.

And then, they will announce (SURPRISE!): “The documents are MISSING! We don’t know what happened to them, but it’s someone else’s fault.”


19 posted on 07/31/2014 3:04:41 PM PDT by WayneS (Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos.)
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To: Kaslin
Ain't gonna happen!!!....It would be racist!...pure and simple
Obama and Holder have free rein by virtue of “the race card”....Holder will will not comply and nothing will happen...Watch and see!
20 posted on 07/31/2014 3:05:32 PM PDT by M-cubed
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