The Freedom of Press Foundation is suing the Justice Department for information on its spying on reporters. After failing with Freedom of Information Act requests, the foundation seeks the court’s help in forcing the department to release its new guidelines on how national security letters (NSLs) can be used to investigate journalists. (The District Sentinel, July 30, 2015, by San Sacks)
The Justice Department published new guidelines last year raising the bar for subpoenas to journalists but exempted the use of NSLs from the guidelines and refused to reveal the details of their oversight of the NSLs. (Freedom of the Press Foundation, July 30, 2015, by Trevor Timm)
The FBI said it would take seven months to decide on whether to release the records requested by the foundation, far exceeding the 29 day deadline for FOIA requests prompting the lawsuit demanding immediate compliance. (Law 360, July 30, 2015, by Steven Trader)