The Justice Department argued in court papers that under federal wiretap laws, the government could not allow access to the Watergate illegal wiretaps “based on historical or scholarly interest.” -db From the Blog of Legal Times, June 4, 2012, by Mike Scarcella. Full story
Three lawyers with experience in litigating Freedom of Information Act cases charge that the Obama administration has performed poorly in promoting government transparency. Whereas Attorney General Eric Holder said he would only defend agencies when it was clear that disclosure was contrary to law or would cause harm, in actual practice since his pronouncement Holder has never refused to defend an agency withholding information. -db From a commentary for The National Law Journal, April 16,
The Justice Department has asked a federal district court to allow the government to refuse to discuss or even to acknowledge the existence of any cooperation between Google and the National Security Agency. The Electronic Privacy Information Center is suing under the Freedom of Information Act to obtain documents with details of the relationship. -db From The National Law Journal, March 13, 2012, by Mike Scarcella. Full story
The Justice Department is charging a former intelligence officer with leaking classified information to a journalist. The leaks included the names of covert officers and their work in apprehending terrorist suspects. The officer is charged with divulging to a New York Times reporter the contact information and details of activities of a covert CIA operative. -db From The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, January 23, 20112, by Andrea Papagianis. Full story
Muhammad Ali, the former world heavyweight boxing champion, “embodies the essence of the First Amendment,” writes David L. Hudson Jr., of the First Amendment Center. Hudson shows how Ali was at the “vortex of…First Amendment freedoms,” freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. -db From a commentary for the First Amendment Center, January 21, 2012, by David L. Hudson Jr. Full story