Justice Department Lies, Whitewashes Administration’s Failure To Comply With FOIA
Justice Department Lies, Whitewashes Administration’s Failure To Comply With FOIA
In Dec. 2005, President Bush issued an executive order mandating that federal agencies better administrate the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The order stipulated that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales would submit reports documenting agencies’ progress in meeting FOIA “milestones.”
In its June 2007 report, the DoJ proclaimed “diligent and measurable progress” in FOIA compliance across the federal government. FOIA activists, however, claim the DoJ has wildly overstated its success, as the new DoJ report distorts and misleads on key benchmarks:
Claim #1: Agencies are making “significant progress” with FOIA. The DOJ reported that more than half of the agencies successfully met their milestones, “and that 90 percent made meaningful progress.” But the report’s graphics show that only 11 of 25 agencies met all their milestones, and three agencies did not meet a single target.
Claim #2: Agencies have decreased the number of unprocessed FOIA requests. “The report cites no data to support the claim. … The number of unprocessed requests among the 25 agencies highlighted actually increased 13 percent.” In fact, several agencies, such as Housing and Urban Development, State Department, and Homeland Security, piled on FOIA backlogs at faster rate than they received requests. “Three agencies — NASA, the CIA and Treasury — reported fewer requests but their backlogs still rose.”
Bush’s DoJ has opposed FOIA reform and open-government efforts for years. In the 109th Congress, the Department “squelched efforts to pass the OPEN Government Act.” Last month, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) blocked a bipartisan attempt to update FOIA because of the Justice Department’s concern that “it could force them to reveal sensitive information.”
According to Meredith Fuchs of the National Security Archives, the report “is essentially smoke and mirrors designed to discourage Congress from enacting a law that would mandate improvement in FOIA processing.”
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46 Responses to “Justice Department Lies, Whitewashes Administration’s Failure To Comply With FOIA”
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Surprise!! The DoJ lies.
The crap they're hiding will take years to come out.....
June 26th, 2007 at 10:13 pmHey Gonzo, remember?
You represent the people of the United States....
**crickets chirping**
June 26th, 2007 at 10:15 pmOh what else is new? What we don't know can't hurt us, right? Is there a category for disgusted?
June 26th, 2007 at 10:18 pmHey trust us everything is fine, have we ever given reason to not take us at face value?
This weeks poll question asks which Republican embarrasses their party the most, at http://idahofallz.com
Who would you choose?
June 26th, 2007 at 10:20 pmHow do we get it across to these creeps, that this isn't a game show called "What's My Lie?"?
June 26th, 2007 at 10:23 pmSmoke & Mirrors is the theme of this administration of corruption. It has been from day one! If we believe that anything they say is based on truth, then we are the fools. They're all liars and intent on lying more to cover those lies....and the lying spree continues while Congress sleeps! I don't get it...how the mandate of the people regarding the immediate halt to the War as well as cleaning up the administration (no, not Washington proper but the White House and Bush Cabal, specifically!).....has been botched now for 6 months. This is a huge amount of time for such ineptitude and inaction - not to mention disavowing the wishes of the people when they knuckled under on Iraq funding....
Hey, Congress....get with the game plan or plan to have your sorry butts unseated soon! There WILL be plenty of Indpendents soon to fill your seats.
June 26th, 2007 at 10:25 pmI don't recall.
June 26th, 2007 at 10:32 pmMaybe someday telling lies will be considered a crime. Oh wait! Scooter lied and was punished, also, Griles, so there IS a law against it!!! Why don't we get the DOJ to enforce it. OHHHHKKKKKKKKK I see the problem.
Never mind!
June 26th, 2007 at 10:40 pmThis is classic bush administration:
Don't think the truth puts the adminstration or its enablers in a good enough light? Just say what you think the public wants to hear!
What's the downside? At worst, the enablers in the media that you have in your back pocket (courtesy of rupert murdoch and faux news, mann coulter et al) will trumpet your position loud and long to create the appearance of "reasonable doubt" among the sheep that listen to the MSM.
Most of the time it won't even reach that point, as most people in this country will be more focused on how paris handled her incarceration, or who the winning whore on charm school will be.
June 26th, 2007 at 10:42 pmAlberto Gonzales is just doing the bidding of his Muslim masters.
June 26th, 2007 at 11:03 pmHe's just carrying out orders!
Blame the Muslims they've created this mess!
FOIA is the basis for the Executive Orders Cheney wants to ignore.
This is nothing less than secret government.
June 26th, 2007 at 11:10 pmAlberto VO5 looks TOO gay in that photo.
He's wistfully anticipating his next date with Jeffy Lube Gannon.
Alberto VO5...is he or isn't he...only his hairdresser knows for sure!
June 26th, 2007 at 11:29 pmDear Fredo,
I wouldn't get in a rowboat with Dick Cheney if I were you.
June 26th, 2007 at 11:32 pm#Alberto Gonzales is just doing the bidding of his Muslim masters.
He’s just carrying out orders!
Blame the Muslims they’ve created this mess! Comment by The Joker
Joker please slow down and elaborate on this what you write in a more coherent fashion, thanks.
June 26th, 2007 at 11:40 pmComment by Zep Tepi — June 26, 2007 @ 11:40 pm
Yes, The Joker, we would like to learn more, go on...
June 26th, 2007 at 11:42 pmGonzales looks very Gay and fem in that pic at the top.
June 26th, 2007 at 11:57 pmCaption Contest:
Hee hee, I just farted.
June 26th, 2007 at 11:59 pmAlberto appears to be looking at somebody with lust, as that pic was taken. It must be Matt Sanchez the Marine hooker who caught his eye.
June 27th, 2007 at 12:10 amGonzales really, truly cares about this issue. He says it himself (albeit tripping over the severly parsed words):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PHHdMhyLEE&mode=related&search=
It's worth the 1 minute and 45 seconds of dropping your jaw.
June 27th, 2007 at 12:13 amCaption Contest Re-do:
Hee hee, I just burped from my bottom.
June 27th, 2007 at 12:17 amIf you're going to fudge the numbers don't forget to sharpie your bar charts to match. Can't they even do that right.
June 27th, 2007 at 12:20 amThe DoJ, caught twisting facts!?
AG Gonzales endorsing a document that is less than forthcoming?!?
I am shocked, SHOCKED, I tell ya!!
June 27th, 2007 at 12:23 amIt’s worth the 1 minute and 45 seconds of dropping your jaw.
Comment by Pity the Fools
I find it hard to believe that people, such as Cheney, or George, would find that secrecy is American. I was brought up to tell the truth (Sure there are military secrets about force placements etc that should be kep under wraps) Our politicians, however, when it comes to the Salus Populi, should not keep secrets. When we keep public policy secrets Democracy falters.
No more burritos!! (I mean by that big fibs that cause indigestion, not a race =)
June 27th, 2007 at 12:29 amGonzales and Bushco: If you have done nothing wrong, why do you aviod transparency? Maybe you need to be waterboarded.
June 27th, 2007 at 12:30 amCaption:
"Is this my good side?"
or
"Jeff, Jeff, do I look pretty?"
June 27th, 2007 at 12:33 amBTW Taco Bell, here in Tx, has started using peanut oil, it tastes like cardboard and will likely result in profit loss. Just digestin.
Caption Contest Re-do: Hee hee, I just burped from my bottom.
Comment by Zooey
Oh my, I think I just skipped a nugget!
June 27th, 2007 at 12:34 amOh my, I think I just skipped a nugget!
Comment by Zep Tepi
Gross!!
Ok, I was gross first..... :D
June 27th, 2007 at 12:53 amOk, I was gross first….. :D Comment by Zooey
That you were my dear weiseheimer friend, that you were... [8~P
June 27th, 2007 at 1:00 amThat you were my dear weiseheimer friend, that you were… [8~P
Comment by Zep Tepi
Heh. I've been called a few things today, but nothing as nice as weisenheimer. :)
Goodnight!
June 27th, 2007 at 1:11 amHeh. I’ve been called a few things today, but nothing as nice as weisenheimer. :) Goodnight! Comment by Zooey
Sleep well Zooey.
June 27th, 2007 at 1:51 amWhat happens -- when you get a reputation for lying -- is that nobody....but nobody...believes anything you say.
Ever.
June 27th, 2007 at 1:52 amThis morning, an AP hit piece passed through TP's filter without a murmur, slandering the deposed legal leader of Haiti.
Several commenters strongly remonstrated - -the transcript was posted. Not a whisper of response.
Twelve hours later, and the LIE STILL STANDS.
That starts looking like TP endorses the lie.
A clarification is in order.
June 27th, 2007 at 3:25 amgreat work
June 27th, 2007 at 3:35 amJesus, darling, Senorita Alberta, will you PUHLEEZ find a new hairdresser? My gaydar goes off the charts every time I see and hear this girl. She's a big ole San Antonio 'mo.
June 27th, 2007 at 5:10 amCaption Contest:
Albert Gonzales is "The 51-Year-Old Virgin"
June 27th, 2007 at 6:54 am(on unemployment lines this summer)
Those Righties are so clever. I'll bet they wonder why they keep getting caught.
June 27th, 2007 at 7:07 amHalf the years gone. It looks like the Republican strategy of playing out the clock is working.
June 27th, 2007 at 7:49 amRegardless of the choir boy look in the picture, Beto ain't no choir boy.
June 27th, 2007 at 8:59 amThou shalt not lie, he just don't get it.
They lie?! Who would have thought it was possible?
June 27th, 2007 at 10:47 amDuh-huh, duh-huh. Ah don't know whah Bush jest dint invoke double-secret, protective function, special security, executive privilege. Seems lahk a big waste of mah ingenuity faw him not to use it.
Next tahm Gonzo oughta weah extra lahge paeeints, soin he ken stuff all doze documents bein FOIR'd down his'n drawers and destroy em. Dat's how we solve touchy problems. Dint dey learn nuthin from me?
Duh-huh, duh-huh.
June 27th, 2007 at 11:23 amGonzo,
June 27th, 2007 at 12:02 pmYou look more and more like Casper the Friendly ghost each and every day...
Nothing is going to happen to those presently occupying the White House - no accountabilty, no jail time, nothing.
Whoever is next in the White House, regardless of political party, all investigations will stop. The EXCUSES will be;
1)investigations will take up too much of the governments' time and resources
2)"national security"
3)what was done was thought to be in the best interests of the country given the circumstances of the times
4)the country needs to forget it and just move forward
5)dah dah, dah dah, dah dah
But no one presently occupying the White House will be prosecuted for anything they have done wrong.
And the corporations of America and major universities and "think tanks" are already just waiting with open arms to hire every last one of these subversive people.
You don't have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
You
June 27th, 2007 at 3:16 pmReally getting off on the defeatism, eh, Dennis?
June 27th, 2007 at 6:30 pmAdminister, not administrate, for heaven's sake!
June 27th, 2007 at 8:00 pmAdminister not administrate.....geesus
June 27th, 2007 at 8:00 pmFor a second, I thought this was the website of the last 26% who approve of Bush and Cheney. I need to learn to scroll up.
I bet Bush would be surprised if he scrolled up. He might find out he's the President of the United States of America. I bet he thinks this is 1930's Germany.
I think using my expanded powers (that I gave myself) I will refuse to show my ID next time I'm pulled over.
June 29th, 2007 at 6:28 pm