Obama admin. claims right to censor ‘unclassified’ materials

[Playinghardball]

Source: Raw Story
By Stephen C. Webster

In the case of former National Security Agency (NSA) executive Thomas A. Drake -- indicted last April and accused of funneling documents to an unnamed reporter at an unnamed newspaper, for stories that have not been identified -- the president's lawyers have made a unique and potentially unprecedented claim.

With less than a month before Drake's trial begins, the Obama administration has filed a memo with the court claim the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA) gives courts the right to censor and withhold material that is "unclassified."

"It is simply incorrect to argue that CIPA is a rigid set of procedures that precludes this Court from simultaneously considering the admissibility of classified information as well as other information, whether protected or unclassified," they wrote (PDF).

The argument effectively hinges on earlier court cases which interpreted CIPA as less of a rulebook for judges and more of an advisory. The president's lawyers took that a bit further, suggesting it actually just "provides the tools" needed for the judiciary to decide what information should be protected from the prying eyes of defense attorneys. They also claim the National Security Agency Act of 1959 (NSAA) allows courts to redact any and all information pertaining to the NSA's activities.

More at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/05/12/unprecedented-obama-admin-claims-it-can-censor-unclassified-materials/

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Dj13Francis]

5. Nope.

Methinks you misunderstand me. I also believe that my vote is my voice, reflecting my principles. I've voted Green before knowing my candidate wouldn't win. I hope you'll join me in supporting candidates with actual integrity.

My point is, the vote hasn't determined the winner in elections in this country in a long time. The companies decide the winners. If Obama wasn't a company man, I guarantee you he'd have never been declared the winner, regardless of whether or not more people voted for him. The vote (in terms of actual people's wishes) is completely irrelevant.

[Name removed]

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[kath]

8. Wow - the true colors become clearer and clearer and clearer...

[Fuddnik]

9. So much for the most transparent administration in history.

[KoKo]

10. Another "shiv" in the ribs?

[TheKentuckian]

11. Another day, another shitty policy that the pukes could only dream of getting by with

[AlabamaLibrul]

12. Name removed making a big appearance in this thread nt

[snagglepuss]

14. roflmao.

thanks I needed that. :rofl:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. Did Obama hire Kafka to write memos for the NSA?