Ethics

Bush Loses Key FOIA Case

By Ed Brayton

A 3 judge panel of the 2nd circuit has unanimously ruled against the Bush administration and the Pentagon and ordered them to turn over photographs depicting abusive treatment of prisoners in American custody in Iraq and Afghanistan. The ACLU had filed a FOIA request for the pictures and the Pentagon refused to turn them over, claiming they were exempt from FOIA. And wait till you hear their basis for claiming exemption from FOIA.

When the case was filed, the first argument the government offered - and this is stunning chutzpah even for the Bush administration - was that turning over the photos would violate the privacy of the detainees pictured in the photos. That's right. After encouraging the abuse and torture of these same people, they suddenly show great concern for their privacy rights. And if you believe that, I've got a bridge to nowhere to sell you.

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on September 28, 2008 (boomark / email).