Archivist's Resignation Questioned (Sandy Berger not mentioned)

The Washington Post ^ | July 26, 2004; Page A17 | George Lardner Jr

[sr4402]

Democrats Seek Reason for His Being Pushed Out

Archivist of the United States John W. Carlin was pushed by the White House in December to submit his resignation without being given any reason, Senate Democrats disclosed last week at a hearing to consider President Bush's nomination of his successor.

The Democrats said the White House should explain why it asked Carlin to resign. He said in a letter to Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.) that White House counsel Alberto R. Gonzales called him Dec. 5 and told him "the administration would like to appoint a new archivist." Carlin said, "I asked why, and there was no reason given."

Critics have suggested Bush may have wanted a new archivist to help keep his or his father's sensitive presidential records under wraps. Under the Presidential Records Act of 1978, many of President George H.W. Bush's papers are due to become public in January.

The 1984 law establishing the National Archives and Records Administration provides that the archivist will serve an indefinite term and can be replaced if he resigns or is removed by the president. If he is removed, "the president shall communicate the reasons for any such removal" to Congress, the law says.

[expatpat]

An arrest of Bergler in the last week of October is to be preferred.

[mewzilla]

If nothing's all Carlin did...

[OXENinFLA]

Now that I think about it that really doesn't make any sense.

Bush signed that in March of 03 not 04..

.My tin-foil hat must be on the fritz............

[OXENinFLA]

THE NEW GUY..........

[OXENinFLA]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/04/20040408-2.html

The President intends to nominate Allen Weinstein, of Maryland, to be Archivist of the United States. Dr. Weinstein currently works at the International Foundation for Elections Systems as Senior Advisor for Democratic Institutions and Director of its Center for Democratic Initiatives. He previously served as President of The Center for Democracy in Washington, D.C. Earlier in his career, Dr. Weinstein was a Professor at Boston University, Georgetown University and Smith College. He earned his bachelor's degree from Columbia College and his master's and Ph.D. from Yale University.

[Sacajaweau]

I think this is what we're looking for but don't know how to apply it. It appeared from what I read that Clinton gave Berger the order to research (rip off) the archives.

Clinton's CIA head went to jail for having classified stuff on his personal computer. Clinton gave him a pardon. I'll probably look this up tonight to see "the crime".

Every dirty thing in the Clinton administration is intertwined. Bubba ultimately was his own judge and jury and he walked!! And with a smile on his face!!

[mewzilla]

My tin-foil hat must be on the fritz............

I don't think so :)

[OXENinFLA]

Maybe you're right..........

The 9/11 commission was made by law in Nov. '02

Bush signs this Exec. Order. in 3-'03 before the docs start to get viewed by the 9/11 commission?????


It'd be interesting to know exactly when anyone started viewing the docs....

[mewzilla]

It'd be interesting to know exactly when anyone started viewing the docs....

And how long any theft/doctoring/destroying of docs has gone on. And not just by Berger, and not just in this case.

IMHO, the Toon records at the Archives are worthless. And probably have been for quite some time.

[cyncooper]

Thank you very much for this ping. I just read the replies and I agree...the timing is interesting and does appear to hint there was reason to believe Carlin might not have been performing as one would expect a responsible and trustworthy archivist to perform.

And the dems will cry that such should be able to retain their position without scrutiny and with impunity. Let them try. Even if it is mere coincidence, President Bush surely has the right and authority to appoint who he sees fit.

[OXENinFLA]

Read "PART 4--SAFEGUARDING" of the Exec. order..................

[cyncooper]

This is interesting...

[mewzilla]

Wow.

b) Every person who has met the standards for access to classified information in paragraph (a) of this section shall receive contemporaneous training on the proper safeguarding of classified information and on the criminal, civil, and administrative sanctions that may be imposed on an individual who fails to protect classified information from unauthorized disclosure.

Well, so much for the sloppiness defense.

[OXENinFLA]

oo) "Violation" means:

(1) any knowing, willful, or negligent action that could reasonably be expected to result in an unauthorized disclosure of classified information;

(2) any knowing, willful, or negligent action to classify or continue the classification of information contrary to the requirements of this order or its implementing directives; or

(3) any knowing, willful, or negligent action to create or continue a special access program contrary to the requirements of this order.

[kcvl]

John W. Carlin, Archivist of the United States

As Archivist of the United States, John W. Carlin is the head of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), an independent agency of the Federal Government with more than 3,000 employees and 34 facilities throughout the country. NARA is the nation's recordkeeper. Its mission is to ensure for the citizen and the public servant, for the President and the Congress and the Courts, ready access to essential evidence that documents the rights of the American citizens, the actions of Federal officials, and the national experience.

Mr. Carlin was appointed Archivist by President William J. Clinton in 1995. He immediately began a comprehensive strategic planning effort that resulted in a 10-year plan to refocus the agency and bring it into the 21st century.

[kcvl]

Another 'stroke of the pen'

---

© 1999 WorldNetDaily.com

President Clinton, already under fire for political abuse of FBI and Internal Revenue Service files, has quietly issued an executive order that could give him access to even more sensitive documents for the remainder of his administration.

The new executive order, like others issued by the Clinton administration, seems, at first glance, innocuous. It is an amendment to Executive Order 12958 regarding classified security information and was signed by the president Nov. 19.

It establishes a new bureaucracy, the Information Security Oversight Office, within the National Archives and Records Administration. But this doesn't appear to be just another jobs program for Clinton pals at your expense. Rather, this EO raises grave privacy issues.

In Section 3, Clinton establishes a directorship for the new office, under the direction of the national archivist. The director is to work with the assistant to the president for national security affairs and the co-chairmen of the security policy board.

Most people have no idea who the national archivist is. His name is John W. Carlin, the former governor of Kansas, who got the very political appointment in 1995 over the objections of some historians and researchers who believed the job should go to a professional with some qualifications in the area. In fact, 16 organizations, including the National Coordinating Committee for the Promotion of History, opposed Carlin's nomination -- something of a surprise. I don't remember hearing a word about this tempest in a teapot. His nomination was approved without debate or roll call in the Senate as part of a consent motion that included seven other presidential nominees.

Now, it turns out, Carlin and Sandy Berger will hold in their hands the ability, on behalf of the president, to get federal files -- even classified documents -- on just about anybody for any reason.

That's right. That seems to be the essence of this new executive order.

Section 4 of the order creates an Information Security Oversight Office within the national Archives and Records Administration. Carlin, or the archivist, appoints the director, subject to the approval of the president.

The director of this new department has the authority to require of each agency: "Those reports, information, and other cooperation that may be necessary to fulfill its responsibilities. If granting access to specific categories of classified information would pose an exceptional national security risk, the affected agency head or the senior agency official shall submit a written justification recommending the denial of access to the President through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs within 60 days of the request for access. Access shall be denied pending the response."

Do you really imagine agency heads, all of whom are appointed by the president, are going to deny access of anything to their boss?

As I read this EO, we now have a director of a new agency, working hand-in-glove with Sandy Berger, who will be able to snoop through any and all agency records and documents at the whim of the president.

Clinton has a history of using executive orders to subvert and ignore the will of Congress. His top aide, Paul Begala, boasted in 1997 of this strategy with his now-famous line: "Stroke of the pen, law of the land. Kinda cool." So far, no one in Congress has raised a peep about this latest executive order. Not surprising since there is no mechanism in place in the legislative branch to oversee and systematically review executive orders.

By the way, one of the most noxious of all Clinton executive orders, 13083, was issued while he was in Birmingham, England, in 1997. Only a barrage of attacks on that redefinition of federalism sparked by a series of WorldNetDaily stories, forced its suspension. This little stinker was issued while Clinton was visiting Greece, a trip marred by people throwing stones at him. You have to wonder what was so important about rushing this one through? Maybe now we know. And maybe, given recent history, there's a chance to kill this declaration of open season on privacy by the White House.

[OXENinFLA]

was signed by the president Nov. 19.

EXECUTIVE ORDER 12958 April 17, 1995

[OXENinFLA]

Oh, in '99 Clinton Amended it..........

[OXENinFLA]

For Immediate Release November 19, 1999 EXECUTIVE ORDER

[OXENinFLA]

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
(Athens, Greece)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release November 19, 1999

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

Executive Order on Declassification

The President today signed an Executive Order that furthers the Administration's policy of openness and its goal of declassifying historically valuable records over 25 years old.

As the recently released Information Security Oversight Office Report for 1998 shows, from the time the President issued Executive Order 12958 in April 1995 through September 1998, Federal agencies have declassified 670 million pages of permanently valuable records. This unprecedented achievement represents almost 80 percent of the total number of pages declassified since 1980.

However, several hundred million pages of 25-year-old records remain to be declassified. The order signed today extends the deadline for agency declassification of such records, recognizing the practical limits of agency declassification resources. By extending the deadlines, the Order provides time for the agencies to thoroughly review the remaining documents. This step thus ensures that any information contained in those records that should remain classified for reasons of national security will not inadvertently be released through automatic declassification.

These efforts promote significant visibility into the decision-making processes of American government, and a far more complete and accurate accounting of our Nation's history. The primary sources made available under this program will underpin the writing of American and world history by generations of researchers.