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House panel wants Homeland Security
documents
By Alan Fram, Associated Press – Sun Jan 16
WASHINGTON – A House committee has asked the Homeland Security
Department to provide documents about an agency policy that required
political appointees to review many Freedom of Information Act
requests, according to a letter obtained Sunday by The Associated Press.
The letter to Homeland Security was sent late Friday by Rep. Darrell
Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform
Committee. It represents an early move by House Republicans who have
vowed to launch numerous probes of President Barack Obama's
administration, ranging from its implementation of the new health care
law to rules curbing air pollution to spending in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Associated Press reported in July that for at least a year,
Homeland Security had sidetracked hundreds of requests for federal
records to top political advisers to the department's secretary, Janet
Napolitano. The political appointees wanted information about those
requesting the materials, and in some cases the release of documents
considered politically sensitive was delayed, according to numerous
e-mails that were obtained by the AP.
The Freedom of Information Act is supposed to ensure the quick public
release of requested government documents without political
consideration. Obama has said his administration would emphasize
openness in providing requested federal records.
According to Issa's letter, Homeland Security's chief privacy officer
and FOIA official told committee staff in September that political
appointees were simply made aware of "significant and potentially
controversial requests."
Mary Ellen Callahan told them that political appointees reviewed the
agency's FOIA response letters for grammatical and other errors and did
not edit or delay their release, the letter states. She also told the
committee that Homeland Security abandoned the practice in response to
the AP's article, according to Issa's letter.
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