Homeland Security Politicizes Freedom of Information Act

John on July 22, 2010 at 10:11 am

Ed at Hot Air caught this bombshell investigative report from the Associated Press:

The Freedom of Information Act, the main tool forcing the government to be more open, is designed to be insulated from political considerations. Anyone who seeks information through the law is supposed to get it unless disclosure would hurt national security, violate personal privacy or expose confidential decision-making in certain areas.

But in July 2009, Homeland Security introduced a directive requiring a wide range of information to be vetted by political appointees for “awareness purposes,” no matter who requested it.

Career employees were ordered to provide Secretary Janet Napolitano’s political staff with information about the people who asked for records — such as where they lived, whether they were private citizens or reporters — and about the organizations where they worked.

If a member of Congress sought such documents, employees were told to specify Democrat or Republican.

Once again we see that Janet Napolitano seems to view Republicans as a threat to the nation. At what point does this pattern become so obvious that she is asked to resign?

Category: Politics |