Posted on 11/06/2011 5:47:38 AM PST by truthfinder9
A powerful tool that allows ordinary citizens to obtain crucial information from government archives, the US Department of State (DOA) Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is under attack. The Daily Caller reports that the US Justice Department wants to revise the law to allow government officials to lie about, or conceal the very existence of, records that it does not wish to release publicly.
The Justice Department claims that the law needs to be revised to protect sensitive information from being released. But current FOIA provisions already exempt certain information from having to be supplied, as long as those requesting the information are given a proper explanation as to why it cannot be released.
But the new rule would allow officials to not only conceal the information, but also to blatantly lie about it. In other words, when the federal government wants to keep certain dirty little secrets under wraps, even "secrets" not protected by the exemption, it will simply be able to tell those requesting such information that it does not exist.
"(The rule) will dramatically undermine government integrity by allowing a law designed to provide public access to government information to be twisted to permit federal law enforcement agencies to actively lie to the American people," said the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), and OpenTheGovernment.org, in a joint public statement (http://www.openthegovernment.org/si...).
FOIA requests, of course, have been crucial in exposing all kinds of government corruption. A FOIA request exposed US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano as a liar concerning the safety of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) naked body scanners, for instance (http://www.naturalnews.com/032839_b...).
"The problem is, if you're a FOIA requester and the agency says they don't have the records, you have no reason to doubt that," said CREW chief counsel Anne Weismann concerning the proposal. "But if they cite an exemption, you have the option to sue."
The proposed FOIA revisions were first published back in March, and the Justice Department began taking public comments on them for a short period of time. Due to massive public backlash, the agency is once again accepting comments. You can submit your own comments by contacting:
Office of Information Policy (OIP) Suite 11050 1425 New York Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530 (202) 514-3642
I saw that several days ago and I read a story they have pulled that one back. But we also need to be vigilant in making sure it does not pop up in some legislation or EO.
The sad truth is we are not surprised... :(
More equal pigs.
Why do they need that law...they just lie anyway.
A rule? You mean they want to do something by fiat that could never pass as a law?
Why some people continue to argue for big government is beyond me.
Regardless of what rules or laws are enacted, I would think that the law of adverse possession would apply.
Gummit officials have owned the lying concession virtually since the Republic was founded.
In 1858 Lincoln spoke before the Republicans in Springfeild Ill. in what is remembered as the House divided speech. He built his speech around the authority of Scripture seen in Mark 3:24-25 -as well as seen in Matthew 12:25; and Luke 11:17
But Lincoln notably recognized there was policy that promised to end the agitation of slavery but had not. Three years later
Lincoln was elected to remedy that failed policy. And the crisis it caused. We have now a thug in the leadership of the DOJ who has proposed a law allowing the Govt. to LIE.
It seems the House is Divided and cannot stand, Will we be given another Lincoln to remedy the crisis caused by this mal-Administration.
The fact that they are fighting to cover stuff up leads me to speculate.....What stuff? (there must be enough to keep us bussy for years!)
Another in the continuing series of “Can You Imagine The Reaction If Bush Had Tried This” stories.
H*ll, they don’t need a rule to allow this — they’ve been doing this for DECADES!!!!!!!
OK John. Even you can’t make this up.
They already do that what they want is immunity to lie under oath.
Since when has any ‘law’ stopped Eric Holder from concealing or lying about whatever stood in front of him he didn’t like...Democrats/Progressives do not let law or the US Constitution stop them from doing as they wish regardless...
US Justice Department wants to revise the law to allow government officials to lie about, or conceal the very existence of, records that it does not wish to release publicly.
Obama + Freezer money = Solar Cell companies
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