Ed Brayton is a freelance writer and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of Michigan Citizens for Science and co-founder of The Panda's Thumb. He has written for such publications as The Bard, Skeptic and Reports of the National Center for Science Education, spoken in front of many organizations and conferences, and appeared on nationally syndicated radio shows and on C-SPAN. Ed is also a Fellow with the Center for Independent Media.(static)
Ed Brayton also blogs at Positive Liberty and The Panda's Thumb
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Posted on: May 20, 2008 9:16 AM, by Ed Brayton
My FOIA suit against the Bush administration and the Office of the US Trade Representative was filed in federal court in Washington DC yesterday. I want to say a big thank you to Public Citizen for offering to represent me pro bono in the case. I'll keep everyone posted as things develop. You can download the whole complaint here.
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Comments
Good start, keep us posted
Posted by: Chris Bell | May 20, 2008 10:11 AM
Thanks for taking this up, Ed.
Posted by: Kenneth Fair | May 20, 2008 12:37 PM
What is the flaw in the response you got from USTR?
Posted by: Herb | May 20, 2008 12:46 PM
Herb-
They claim that the settlement is classified for national security reasons. That's simply laughable.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | May 20, 2008 12:47 PM
Oh I meant more specifically - the part about the information being "held in confidence" and therefore qualifying to remain secret under executive order. Does the FOIA simply trump the executive order?
Posted by: Herb | May 20, 2008 12:58 PM
It's not a question of FOIA trumping the executive order. The question is whether this particular document is properly classified under that executive order. It is not. And there is nothing in the WTO that requires that the information be kept secret.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | May 20, 2008 1:01 PM
Ed,
Thanks for taking up this challenge. It's a shame that it has to be done at all, and a shame that our Democratic-majority Congress is not doing its job.
I think the true heroes of the last 8 years are the bloggers - and with this effort, you can certainly count yourself among them.
Posted by: idahogie | May 20, 2008 5:10 PM
there is nothing in the WTO that requires that the information be kept secret
That clause is in the secret part of the WTO agreement! It never ends!
Posted by: Chris Bell | May 20, 2008 6:43 PM
I think the secrecy requirement is listed in Catch 22, at least I think it is, Catch 22 says they don't have to show Catch 22 to me ...
Posted by: James K | May 21, 2008 1:24 AM
The biggest laugh I got from my students all year was when I said online gambling is a national security issue. I can't wait to see how this one turns out.
Posted by: James Hanley | May 21, 2008 9:15 AM
So who is requesting that this settlement be kept secret? Lobbyists for the gaming industry who want to maintain a monopoly in the U.S.?
Ed, are you playing poker here with the godfather?
Posted by: Elizabeth | May 21, 2008 10:50 PM