Obama's DOJ Seeks to Weaken the FOIA

[Almira]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 2:53pm

OBAMA'S SECRETS

The Obama administration should rethink its outrageous proposal that would allow the government to lie to citizens about whether documents exist.

One of the most disappointing attributes of the Obama administration has been its proclivity for secrecy. The president who committed himself to "an unprecedented level of openness in government" has followed the example of his predecessor by invoking the "state secrets" privilege to derail litigation about government misdeeds in the war on terror. He has refused to release the administration's secret interpretation of the Patriot Act, which two senators have described as alarming. He has blocked the dissemination of photographs documenting the abuse of prisoners by U.S. service members. And now his Justice Department has proposed to allow government agencies to lie about the existence of documents being sought under the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinionla/la-ed-secrets-20111031,0,273702.story

Updated On: 11/1/11 at 02:53 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 3:08pm

And he also wants the power to turn off the internet. (Insert the queeniest eyeroll a queen has ever eyerolled in the direction of the president here.)

[Q]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 3:18pm

So, where are our Republican apologists when Obama is being criticized?

[Almira]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 3:23pm

Obama's Department of Justice has proposed a new set of rules for how the agency fills Freedom of Information Act Requests. If adopted, the rules will be a huge step back for transparency. They're worse than you think. The DOJ apparently wants to:

Deny requests that aren't addressed to precisely the correct department (16.3 (a))

Summarily dismiss requests if they deem the wording too vague (16.3 (c))

Automatically apply exclusions to FOIA whenever it can (16.4 (a))

Be able to hide what part of the agency is responsible for filling requests (16.4 (e))

Reset their deadlines for responses any time they refer requests among departments (16.5 (a))

Make it more difficult for requests to be deemed urgent (16.5 (e))


Insulate department heads from having to stand by denials (16.6 (d))


Remove the ability for the courts to oversee how DOJ applies some exclusions (16.6 (f))

Make it easier for businesses to declare that information is a trade secret (16.7)

Be able to destroy records that might be responsive to FOIA requests (16.9)

Ignore your request for information to be given in a specified format (16.9(a)(3))

Disqualify most schools from getting FOIA fees waived (16.9(a)(4))

Exclude new media from getting fees waived (16.10(a)(6))

Make it easier to deny fee waivers (16.10(k)(2)(iii))


http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2011/10/28/obamas-doj-seeks-to-weaken-the-foia/

Updated On: 11/1/11 at 03:23 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 3:57pm

The Obama Administration's transparency has an opacity problem. Maybe that's what the big giant O stood for all along?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 6:10pm

The government lying to us? You have to be *****ing me.It can't be. Sounds like the dastardly work of GWB but he is no longer the president.

Sounds a little like J/H to me . This is the moment. Sorry about that

[Almira]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 6:19pm

So, where are our Republican apologists when Obama is being criticized?

They are trying to avoid the pain of Cognitive Dissonance by making nonsensical statements. (see above and below)

Updated On: 11/1/11 at 06:19 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 6:26pm

I hurt yur feelings?

I'm sorry.

You would have to call me an Independent apologist as I am registered as one(Independent). Proof upon request.

I do not apologize to anyone re my views . If you do not like them that is life. I respect your views but disagree. You have to be a little tolerant of other views but that will happen when me & NAMO smoke the peace pipe.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 11:53pm

You respect our views and criticisms of Obama but you have to disagree? And again you're talking about hurt feelings? What is WITH you, Roxy?