NYTimes Sues Federal Government For Refusing To Reveal Its Secret Interpretation Of The PATRIOT ACT

[TalkingDog]

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111010/04043716279/nytimes-sues-federal-government-refusing-to-reveal-its-secret-interpretation-patriot-act.shtml

Given all of this, reporter Charlie Savage of the NY Times filed a Freedom of Information Act request to find out the federal government's interpretation of its own law... and had it refused. According to the federal government, its own interpretation of the law is classified. What sort of democracy are we living in when the government can refuse to even say how it's interpreting its own law? That's not democracy at all.

Julian Sanchez points us to the news that Savage and the NY Times have now sued the federal government for not revealing its interpretation of the PATRIOT Act, pointing out that if parts of the interpretation contain classified material, the Justice Department should black that out and reveal the rest, but simply refusing to reveal the interpretation entirely is a violation of the Freedom of Information Act. You can bet that the feds will do everything they can to get out of this lawsuit, just as they did with the various lawsuits concerning warrantless wiretapping. Here's hoping the court systems don't let them. No matter what you think of this administration (or the last one) and how it's handling the threat of terrorism, I'm curious how anyone can make the argument that the US government should not reveal how it interprets the very laws under which it's required to operate.

[KoKo]

1. Glad to see Savage and NYT's do this... Hope that others will join in on FOIA request.

It's sad we have to request "secret info" from Obama like we did from Bush/Cheney, though.

[KoKo]

2. K&R...I hope this stays up until tomorrow a.m.!

Folks need to see this. (well....some folks here will appreciate reading it)

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Kafka would love it.

"You broke a law"
What law did I break?
" We can't tell you, it's a secret"

[Kaleko]

9. The Justice system is hiding its new laws

in an effort to conceal their illegality.

When absurdity reaches a maximum intensity like this,

the whole system implodes.

Are the end times here yet?

[Wind Dancer]

4. K&R

Unbelievable! What country is this?

[postulater]

5. Occupy the Justice Department!

[KoKo]

6. Some group needs to get over there ASAP!

Find out if anyone is still there working....:eyes:

[Zax2me]

7. Uh, great, but where were they for little bush regime?

Little too late - damage done.
Other hand - better late than never I guess.

[slipslidingaway]

8. knr for transparency n/t

[TalkingDog]

10. kicking for the morning crowd