News Archive - Jul 2006

Author Bill Davy Eligible for Attorney Fees in FOIA Suit vs CIA

Jul 21, 2006: Bill Davy, author of Let Justice Be Done, has been declared by a three-judge panel to be eligible for attorneys fees in conjunction with a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the CIA, according to an article posted at the website of The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. A 1993 FOIA request filed by Davy led seven years later to the FOIA lawsuit. Two years after that, the CIA released a batch of more than 100 documents rather than wait for a ruling. This judgment entitles Davy to attorney fees despite the dismissal of the case in the wake of the releases.

National Security Archive Sues CIA Over FOIA Policy

Jul 18, 2006: Last month, the National Security Archive sued the Central Intelligence Agency over recent changes to its policies regarding Freedom of Information Act requests. The NSA story appears on its website in a story entitled CIA Claims the Right to Decide What is News. News organizations, including the NSA, are exempt from fees associated with FOIA requests other than copying charges. But in October 2005, CIA "began claiming authority to assess additional fees if the Agency decides any journalist's request is not newsworthy enough." On June 14, 2006, the National Security Archive filed a complaint in U.S. District Court. National Security Archive Director Tom Blanton states: "Given the timing - when the intelligence community is under serious scrutiny about its activities - this appears to be an effort to shut down the growth of a vibrant public debate in the print, broadcast and online communities."