Posted on 06/22/2004 3:37:42 PM PDT by Maria S
WASHINGTON - The Associated Press sued the Pentagon and the Air Force on Tuesday, seeking access to all records of George W. Bush's military service during the Vietnam War.
Filed in federal court in New York, where The AP is headquartered, the lawsuit seeks access to a copy of Bush's microfilmed personnel file from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission in Austin.
The White House says the government has already released all the records of Bush's military service. Controversy surrounds Bush's time in the Texas Air National Guard because it is unclear from the record what duties he performed for the military when he was working on the political campaign of a U.S. Senate candidate in Alabama.
There are questions as to whether the file provided to the news media earlier this year is complete, says the lawsuit, adding that these questions could possibly be answered by reviewing a copy of the microfilm of Bush's personnel file in the Texas archives.
The Air National Guard of the United States, a federal entity, has control of the microfilm, which should be disclosed in its entirety under the Freedom of Information Act, the lawsuit says.
The White House has yet to respond to a request by the AP in April asking the president to sign a written waiver of his right to keep records of his military service confidential. Bush gave an oral waiver in a TV appearance that preceded the White House's release this year of materials concerning his National Guard service.
The government "did not expedite their response ... they did not produce the file within the time required by law, and they will not now estimate when the file might be produced or even confirm that an effort has been initiated to retrieve a copy from the microfilm at the Texas archives," the lawsuit says.
In the absence of any privacy objection by the president and in light of the importance of the file's release in advance of the November election, says the lawsuit, AP seeks a court order to compel the release of records "that are being unlawfully withheld from the public."
The released records were from the Texas Air National Guard at Camp Mabry and the Defense Financing Accounting Service in Denver.
Under Texas law, a copy of military personnel files of those serving in the Texas Air National Guard must be retained on microfilm at the Texas archives. The lawsuit says that no one has looked at any of the Texas Air National Guard records maintained at the state archives since 1996.
Responding to AP's request, the Texas Air National Guard concluded that Bush's file was a federal record under control of the U.S. Air National Guard.
When the government did not produce the documents, AP appealed to the Pentagon, saying that by law, the microfilm copy should have been produced within 20 days. The Pentagon said it could not respond within the legally required period.
Have we ever seen Kerry's grades from Yale?
The AP should pay for the cost of going to court, judge, courtroom, janitor, court reporter, doughnuts, coffee, Air National Guard,etc for frivolous stuff like this.
...and I doubt they will this time either. They just want it in the headlines that they're trying to get them to put the idea in people's heads that there's something to hide.
I keep posting this and it keeps being relevant: "Elite Media" realizes their beloved Democrats have gone and fielded the goofiest Presidential candidate in memory. There is nothing left for them to do but spin wildly and lie often and hope that no one notices.
I want to see who wrote up Hanoi John for his medals and I want to see Theresa's tax records. so I can see how much it costs her to buy lawyers for Al Quaeda.
If the AP wants to look up some juicy incriminating dirt they should sue to open the Clinton files that were sealed for 50 years back in '98. I'm sure they're a lot more interesting (and truthful) than Bill's book.
Here we go AGAIN?
Hey, AP, why don't you pay attention to John Kerry's record and what the Swift Vets are saying about him these days.
Hm?
The AP can go pound sand.
After embarrassing Jack Ryan, the media is now going for the big prize.
14. How do I contact a reporter or editor?
Send an email to info@ ap.org and it will be forwarded to the reporter or editor.
FMCDH(BITS)
I'm not even asking the AP to go after Kerry's service records (yet, if they're going to set precedent here...that's a different kettle..), but there are *contemporary* news conferences going on by the Swift Vets that knew Kerry when and have something to say and the AP ignores them.
I have to say, as aggravating and as unbelievable the bias this exposes, I am pleased that they are dropping all pretense and are exposed as the outrageous enemies of truth and right that they are.
Unh, I think he was flying an F-104, you know, a jet plane. His duties consisted of taking the necessary training and staying proficient. In the event of a national emergency, he may have been called upon to serve in the capacity of a fighter-interceptor pilot, in pursuit of intercontinental bombers coming from the Soviet Union.
A threat, incidentally, which never materialized. Because, at the time, we were ready to respond to it.
Thanks, my first thought.
I want details about the alleged notation in Kerry's military records "requires constant supervision".
This ought to be headline news.
Anyone who knows how recommendatons and evaluations are written up on officers knows that this is a career killer.
It still should be. I can see the ad focusing in on this comment with a red circle around it, fade to black and the words... "requires constant supervision"..."who supervises John Kerry now?"
Could be they're looking for an issue for next Monday. This'll be the Sun Morn Talk show launch of the latest attack....a reprise of an old attack.
They also seem to bring the Pres.'s Guard record up when something negative hits the air about Kerry's military service.
Maybe something negative toward Kerry is scheduled to hit.
They are suing to get access to something that was already released? Good grief.
And apparently, the last...
I'm sure that the AP is going after Kerry's records (including FBI) as I write this.
This is undoubtedly the cutting issue of election 2004. ;-)
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