Blog
ASNE opposes the overclassification of government documents
- By: ASNE staff
- On: 05/01/2013 12:21:17
- In: FOI
ASNE recently joined 37 media organizations on an amicus brief filed by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. The brief supports The New York Times and the ACLU's request for access to legal memoranda drafted by the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel, some of which relate to the legal justification for authorizing drone strikes on US citizens. Our amicus brief filed with the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
ASNE recently joined 37 media organizations on an amicus brief filed by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. The brief supports The New York Times and the ACLU's request for access to legal memoranda drafted by the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel, some of which relate to the legal justification for authorizing drone strikes on US citizens. Our amicus brief filed with the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
The New York Times v. Department of Justice doesn't specifically focus on access to the OLC memos themselves or any specific information about drone strikes; instead, it argues against the overclassification of government documents in general. Furthermore, it urges federal courts to decrease the high level of deference given to agencies who rely entirely on the classified status of a document to deny a FOIA request.