AP Review: Gov't Missing Deadlines, Limits (foia)

[NVMojo]

March 12, 2006

Many federal agencies fall far short of the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act, repeatedly failing to meet reporting deadlines while citizens wait ever longer for documents, an Associated Press review has found.

Requests for information ranging from historical records to federal contracts usually take months and sometimes take years to be filled; most departments missed the Feb. 1 deadline to send legally required annual reports to the Justice Department (and many still haven't been submitted) and the Justice Department hasn't produced an annual summary of FOIA reports for two years.

"Federal FOIA is the water torture. It's just drip, drip, drip. You wait and you wait and you wait," said Charles Davis who heads the National FOI Coalition.

The Freedom of Information Act, signed 40 years ago by President Johnson, dictates that federal records must be shared with the public unless they involve national security or private information about an individual or business.

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nat-gen/2006/mar/12/031205636.html

[Benhurst]

1. Laws not being followed in BushAmerica? No! Tell me it ain't so! nt

[Lasher]

2. Where's the ACLU on this?

Looks like a lawsuit needs to be filed. Since this is a deliberate pattern of missing deadlines and therefore breaking the law, shouldn't criminal penalties apply?

[NVMojo]

3. one would hope so ...