Posted on 02/02/2005 11:37:14 AM PST by Tarpaulin
NEW YORK - A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the CIA (news - web sites) to comply with the Freedom of Information Act and turn over to watchdog groups records concerning the treatment of prisoners in Iraq (news - web sites).
"Congress has set the laws, and it is the duty of executive agencies to comply with them," U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein wrote.
It was the second time in six months that the judge suggested the government was impeding the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites)'s quest to monitor government actions in the war on terrorism.
The ACLU filed its lawsuit in October 2003 seeking information on treatment of detainees in U.S. custody and the transfer of prisoners to countries known to use torture. The group is seeking the records to show that prisoner abuse by the United States is "not aberrational but systemic."
The CIA had claimed a provision in the Freedom of Information Act law allowed it to retain files pertaining to national security issues or state secrets.
The judge said the CIA did not follow proper procedure to claim that exception, which requires a declaration by the CIA director.
Megan Gaffney, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan, which represents the CIA in the case, had no immediate comment.
There was no immediate response to a message seeking comment from the ACLU.
Why do we even bother to vote for a president ? Why doesn't the judge just let the ACLU run the country ?
The ACLU needs to be hanged, drawn and quartered for treason.
The judge can order all he wants. As Stalin said of the Pope, "How many divisions does he have?".
Good.
Screw 'em, Megan.
Appeal!
What the hay is this? The ACLU is running this country???
Cutting to the chase....
Nominated by William J. Clinton on May 15, 1998
Yep. Hellerstein is a scumbag.
The ACLU gives aid and comfort to the enemy day in and day out. Why haven't they been shut down?
The ACLU is more lethal than all the terrorist organizations combined and hate America and Americans even more than those same terrorists. Why haven't they been shut down?
The ACLU is destroying our freedom, civil rights and American sovereignty. Why haven't they been shut down?
Sure, they can have it. Just let us get the old black magic marker out to redact sensative material.
I wonder if this judge has been to Cochise County, AZ or LA and seen that we need a ruling like that to fix this illegal immigration problem?
Another demoncRAT traitorous activist judge making law instead of interpreting.
Spot on.
The hatred-and-rage-driven bastard offspring of the Marxist Communist Party of America descended ACLU is a terrorist organization.
Pure and simple.
Cut and dried.
ACLU is with and is off our nation's every enemy.
"Congress has set the laws, and it is the duty of executive agencies to comply with them, except when they interfere with my agenda" U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein wrote, "in which case I rule them unconstitutional and make new laws from the bench."
All that's left is to allow al Qaeda members to use FOIA requests to obtain our counter-terrorism plans. Assisted by the ACLU, of course.
If we solve the ACLU problem first, illegal immigration will be on its way down since it is the ACLU that champions illegal immigration against established law and borders.
The Judge has probably never been out of New Yorl and isn't about to ride all the way to Arizona in a Stage Coach, besides he's probably terrified that he might run into hostile Apaches out there.
Besides his mind is all ready made up and the facts would only confuse his honorship.
Is national security a legislative or executive function?
I'll leave it as that for now.
<< It is more important to stop the ACLU than illegal immigration because the ACLU is an organization intent on destroying America whilst illegal immigrants, by and large, simply want a better life. [Although they are breaking our laws and should be turned back at the borders or deported]
If we solve the ACLU problem first, illegal immigration will be on its way down since it is the ACLU that champions illegal immigration against established law and borders. >>
Spot on -- but both have to brought within the Law.
The ACLU is about as froth-and foam-flecked un-and-anti-American as it's possible to be this side of a Wahhabi Madrassa or the black-hole-for-a-soul of one of those holders of a Student Pilot Licence and a Boston-Los Angeles First Class one-way ticket who perpetrated the atrocities of September 11 2001 -- and aught quite properly be loathed and despised -- and, along with al-Qeada, destroyed.
But of equal importance to putting down the ACLU and its fellow CPA-descended crime-family cohorts and henchmen: AARP, ABA; NEA; Trial Lawyers et al; is the essential task of reclaiming our nation's national sovereignty [Close the borders] and the action automatically consequential to that reclaimation of expelling every criminal alien.
I guess the CIA is supposed to give these terrorists a back massage and a handjob, to get them to "give up the goods?"
These liberal judges, the ACLU and, well, liberals in general do more to harm the national security of the United States, then the "good" that they "think" they are doing in the name of the 1st Amendment! Duplicitous coc*suckers!
Sounds like another Federal judge needs to be "retired!"
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