Obama's DOJ Seeks to Weaken the FOIA

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.)

---

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

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

---

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.

---