New York Times Writer Loses Bid for FBI Data

[The Straight Story]

New York Times Writer Loses Bid for FBI Data

MANHATTAN (CN) - The FBI can shield its terrorism-investigation data from the prying eyes of New York Times investigative journalist Charlie Savage, a federal judge ruled.

Savage repeatedly sought FBI data through the Freedom of Information Act for a series of articles exposing how federal authorities vigorously probed thousands of people without reasonable suspicion.

The first request, placed in November 2009, demanded:

"Statistics on the aggregate results of assessments the FBI has conducted using the new authorities provided by the AG Guidelines that were put into effect in December 2008. Breaking down the numbers into each of the six types of assessments, how many were converted into predicated investigations (preliminary or full investigations) based upon the information developed in those assessments and how many were closed? How many are still ongoing? Please provide the most up to date numbers available at the time the reply to this request is provided. (Note: the existence of these statistics was referenced in the FBI's response to question 15 from Senator Feingold in the written questions for the record arising from the March 25, 2009, Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight of the FBI. The FBI answers were sent to Congress on Sept. 15, 2009.)"

http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/11/10/41380.htm

[krispos42]

1. Well, we know who's going to be vigorously probed without reasonable suspision next, don't we?

I wonder how long before he's quietly reassigned to Tokyo or something?

[KoKo]

2. K&R.... We were promised an end to secrecy after the Bush years. This is what we get?

:-(