January, 25 2010, 12:10pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Matt Jacob 202.408.5565
CREW and Open Government Advocates Urge DOJ to Address FOIA Litigation Concerns
WASHINGTON
Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW),
along with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Electronic
Frontier Foundation (EFF), the National Security Archive (NSA) and
OpenTheGovernment.org sent a follow-up letter to Department of Justice
(DOJ) Associate Attorney General Thomas J. Perrelli. In the
letter, the groups thanked DOJ for hosting a December 9, 2009 meeting
to discuss ongoing concerns with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
litigation and urged the DOJ to continue tackling agencies' resistance
to operating under a policy of disclosure rather than stonewalling. The
Attorney General's March 19, 2009 FOIA memorandum directed agencies to
follow the President's directive to disclose information, but it has
yet to be implemented in practice.
The groups seek a additional meetings with Mr. Perrelli and DOJ
representatives in the hope of establishing an ongoing dialogue that
will advance the administration's commitment to transparency and
accountability.
Click here to read the groups' letter to Mr. Perrelli.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials -- regardless of party affiliation -- who sacrifice the common good to special interests. CREW advances its mission using a combination of research, litigation and media outreach.
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