Thread: Justice Dept. proposes lying, hiding existence of records un

This is how they get out of Fast and Furious...


Justice Dept. proposes lying, hiding existence of records under new FOIA rule

11:50 PM 10/24/2011 | Updated: 1:19 PM 10/25/2011

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2011/10/24/justi ... z1bqahsewQ

A proposed revision to Freedom of Information Act rules would allow federal agencies to lie to citizens and reporters seeking certain records, telling them the records don’t exist.

The Justice Department has proposed the change as part of a large revision of FOIA rules for federal agencies. Specifically, the rule would direct government agencies who are denying a request under an established FOIA exemption to “respond to the request as if the excluded records did not exist,â€

Proposed FOIA Update: Government Should Be Allowed to Pretend Records Don't Exist
Lucy Steigerwald | October 25, 2011

The Department of Justice certainly prefers its transparency to be as opaque as possible. Mother Jones point to an exciting new opportunity for further reducing the power of the Freedom of Information Act:

Under current FOIA practice, the government may withhold information and issue what's known as a Glomar denial that says it can neither confirm nor deny the existence of records.

The new proposal—part of a lengthy rule revision by the Department of Justice—would direct government agencies to "respond to the request as if the excluded records did not exist."

Adds Wired.com:

That said, judges aren’t very tough on the government when it does lie in FOIA cases.

Consider that, two weeks ago, a federal judge decided not to hold the CIA in contempt for destroying videotapes of detainee interrogations that included the use of a torture technique known as waterboarding, ruling instead that the spy agency merely committed “transgressionsâ€

Secret Government Workshop on Transparency Exposed .

Saturday, 22 October 2011 15:01 Tom Fitton

.Judicial Watch Obtains Documents Detailing Secret Department of Justice Transparency Workshop

Only in Washington would political appointees think it appropriate to keep secret a government workshop on transparency. And only in Washington would a politician promote his efforts on transparency while simultaneously taking steps to keep the American people in the dark about their government.

» If you like this article, please subscribe to our daily newsletterBut that’s exactly what the Obama White House did on December 7, 2009. And Judicial Watch now has the evidence to prove it.

On Monday, we released documents detailing the Obama White House decision to close to reporters a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) training workshop conducted by the Office of Information Policy (OIP) in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). JW obtained the documents from the OIP in response to a FOIA request filed on the same day the workshop was held.

The documents consist of a series of emails between White House staff and the Director of the OIP. And here are a few key excerpts from these emails demonstrating what disrespect this White House has for transparency:

“I am going to touch base with my public affairs office re your suggestion to get their reaction. I, personally don’t object as my message is the same whether the event is open or not. Our concern had been solely with the inhibiting effect it would have on the gov’t ’ees [employees] who might not speak freely if press are there.â€

....Emails directly link White House to secret transparency meetingBy Jordan Bloom - The Daily Caller | The Daily Caller – Tue, Oct 18,

Emails obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by government watchdog group Judicial Watch suggest that the White House had direct involvement in shutting a transparency hearing to the press.

“Please don’t have them reach out to any reporters before I clear [with White House] press,â€