A Court Covers Up
The New York Times - OPINION - May 24, 2012
The Obama administration has added to its string of victories in a tawdry pursuit — making overly expansive claims of secrecy and executive power to deny full disclosure of torture and other abuses of prisoners committed during the George W. Bush administration. A three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York has upheld the administration’s claim that cables describing the Central Intelligence Agency’s use of waterboarding and a photograph of a “high value” detainee, Abu Zubaydah, taken during the time he was subjected to repeated waterboarding, are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA. The new decision came as part of a long-running lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and other rights groups that are seeking records related to detainee mistreatment. Written by Judge Richard Wesley, the decision is too accepting of the government’s weak claim that revealing material redacted from the cables, along with the photo, would harm national security. The court found that FOIA’s exemption for “intelligence methods” applied even though the brutal conduct illuminated by these records is considered illegal by President Obama and a host of laws and treaties and is not covered by the C.I.A.’s charter. The court also said the C.I.A. was justified in withholding two passages in Justice Department memos that appear to concern the origins of the Bush torture program. The C.I.A. is, generally, entitled to shield legitimate intelligence sources and methods. But the public’s interest in disclosure in this case was especially strong. And, as the A.C.L.U. argued, unlawful waterboarding is not properly an intelligence method within the scope of the FOIA disclosure exemptions. The government argued, and the judges agreed, that the photo of Mr. Zubaydah would reveal the detainee’s condition after torture. That is a compelling argument for its release. The judges should have given the government’s overwrought claims of national security and secrecy special scrutiny, not extreme deference.
I don't know what to believe anymore since the court system is so corrupt. Now we always have to question EVERYTHING. The 2nd Circuit is not upholding the law but political wishes. Always more questions than answers in a corrupted system. I no longer have any faith in our system of law. Can anyone help?
ReplyDeleteAnother NY Times diversionary piece. There is so much corruption in the 2nd Circuit and the NY courts. The NY Times is worrying about a one terrorist and ignoring the thousands of corrupt court cases with corrupt judge involving ordinary NY citizens which the NY Times covers up.
ReplyDeleteI also have no faith in our corrupt judicial system. I was just talking with my priest about this tonight. He also has many stories that he has shared with me about the corruption that he has heard. He feels that things will just keep getting worse but maybe the average person may wake up and finally see what is happening.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to me was that my father passed away and left me everything in his Will that he had made years prior to his death by his lawyers. I am his only child. His second EX wife who divorced him 10 years prior to his death came back and contested. I was told she promised her lawyers a 50/50 split. I am sure that her lawyers have must have payed the judge off. If you were to google this judge now you would be able to watch him on the news the DA is trying to get him removed from the bench.
This will not help me in getting my money back. But honestly I really do not care about the money. I would just like to see justice served. I would like to see this Judge and the lawyers involved punished for their crimes.