Based on what Robert Gibbs was saying at the press briefing, my take is that the Intel staffers/flunkies are still in a pissing match with folks like the DOJ’s and White House Counsel’s Office staffers/flunkies.
It does not appear that the Principals (CIA Director Panetta, AG Holder, National Security Advisor Jones (who is off traipsing around in Afghanistan/Pakistan), etc.) have stepped in, nor The Principal, President Obama and laid down the law.
Makes one wonder at the apparent disrespect the Adminstration is showing to Judge Hellerstein by stringing him along again with more delays.
I wondered about that too, MD – at what point does the judge just demand the report in whatever semi-redacted state it’s in right now? The judge is enabling defiance of a court order.
“Part” of the report is from the FOIA litigation? What does that mean? Sounds like one of the agencies in the interagency review is maintaining that they are not subject to either FOIA or the ruling for release. I’ve seen “interagency” squabbles hold up other material before. I’m guessing it’s coming from Special Forces. Just a guess, but SF Ops is much more involved in all this than is commonly discussed.
Q It’s — is part of that process, part of the delay, to make this as transparent as possible? Or is it principally legal issues?
MR. GIBBS: Well, I would say it’s a — in some ways it’s a combination. Obviously, part of the — part of this report, as I said, is the outcropping of that Freedom of Information Act litigation that resulted in the release of the OLC memos.
Obviously, some of information that’s out now can — you can go back now through the older IG report, in a sense — I don’t know if this is a word, un-redact — un-redact some of that material. That’s what — I think that’s a decent part of what’s going on interagency- wise right now…
Isn’t it more likely that Gibbs doesn’t know what he’s talking about? The whole declassification stems from the ACLU’s longstanding FOIAs on detentions.
Well, they’ve ONLY had 5 years to work on it – what’s your rush?
I can only hope that this means there is a significant push from *somewhere* to disclose more than *some agency* wants disclosed.
Well they certainly can’t let the American people know what they’ve been up to, it might upset us.
I think all these “interagency discussions” will be miraculously resolved at 5pm on July 3rd.
Ok, just listened to Press Secretary Gibbs’ press briefing and here’s the skinny:
“The interagency review process is ongoing…Doubtful it would be released this week.”
You can watch the press briefing at CSPAN here.
The question and answers regarding the release of the CIA IG’s Special Review report takes place at 31:40.
Based on what Robert Gibbs was saying at the press briefing, my take is that the Intel staffers/flunkies are still in a pissing match with folks like the DOJ’s and White House Counsel’s Office staffers/flunkies.
It does not appear that the Principals (CIA Director Panetta, AG Holder, National Security Advisor Jones (who is off traipsing around in Afghanistan/Pakistan), etc.) have stepped in, nor The Principal, President Obama and laid down the law.
Makes one wonder at the apparent disrespect the Adminstration is showing to Judge Hellerstein by stringing him along again with more delays.
I wondered about that too, MD – at what point does the judge just demand the report in whatever semi-redacted state it’s in right now? The judge is enabling defiance of a court order.
“Part” of the report is from the FOIA litigation? What does that mean? Sounds like one of the agencies in the interagency review is maintaining that they are not subject to either FOIA or the ruling for release. I’ve seen “interagency” squabbles hold up other material before. I’m guessing it’s coming from Special Forces. Just a guess, but SF Ops is much more involved in all this than is commonly discussed.
Isn’t it more likely that Gibbs doesn’t know what he’s talking about? The whole declassification stems from the ACLU’s longstanding FOIAs on detentions.
Agreed. Pathetic, though, to have a press secretary so clueless.
I share your hope as well …