Enough with Jeff Gannon. When is Sibel Edmond's name going to

[The Backlash Cometh]

get the same blog-time that Jeff Gannon has? Gannon was only the most sexually provocative scandal. There are quite a few more scandals that the mainstream press ignored and which proves that there is an organized attempt to keep the American people ignorant of the truth.

[amber dog democrat]

1. Who is she ?

Is this something I should be aware of?

[mattclearing]

4. Yes.

She was an FBI translator who came across some information in the course of her duties that related to 9/11. She blew the whistle, Ashcroft gagged her, the Bureau fired her.

Still don't know exactly what the info was.

[bpilgrim]

2. i am certainly glad that her story hasn't gone away

the M$MW hardly ever mention this story but it hasn't gone away on the net.

Thank GORE he 'INVENTED' the INTERNET's! :evilgrin:

peace

[G_j]

3. Here is the latest development,& this is BIG.... IMO

http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/6107

Major Developments in 9/11 Whistleblower Case

Sibel Edmonds is a government whistleblower who has stated that prior to 9/11, in April 2001, the U.S. government had information about plans for airplanes to be used on suicide missions in U.S. cities in the coming months.


Washington, D.C. - Her statements contradict what administration officials told the 9/11 Commission in public testimony. Edmonds has also charged that the FBI has been compromised in various ways and that her raising these issues led to her dismissal.


The Washington Post reports today on a case pertaining to Edmonds brought by the Project On Government Oversight: "The Justice Department has backed away from a court battle over its authority to classify and restrict the discussion of information it has already released, handing a local advocacy group a victory by granting it explicit permission to publish letters written by two senators that contain the contested information." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45322-2005Feb22.html
..more..
-----
http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=17527&c=206

Administration Blinks; Admits Retroactively Classified Information Not Harmful to National Security

February 22, 2005


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: [email protected]

Decision Likely to Have Significant Impact on Sibel Edmonds’ Appeal, Says ACLU

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department admitted today that information it had retroactively classified could be released to the public and did not pose a threat to national security. The American Civil Liberties Union said the revelation could aid government whistleblowers in their efforts to fight unlawful dismissals.

"The Justice Department’s long-overdue admission goes to the core of the ACLU’s allegations that the government is going all out to silence whistleblowers to protect itself from political embarrassment," said ACLU Associate Legal Director Ann Beeson, who is representing former FBI translator Sibel Edmonds in a lawsuit challenging her termination. "This is hardly an isolated case, as numerous national security whistleblowers can attest. The government is taking extreme steps to shield itself while gambling with our safety."

In May 2004, the Justice Department retroactively classified information presented two years earlier by the FBI to the Senate Judiciary Committee during two unclassified briefings regarding Edmonds, who had repeatedly reported serious security breaches and misconduct in the agency’s translation program. An executive summary of the Justice Department’s Inspector General report into her termination concluded that Edmonds was fired for reporting the misconduct, and that her allegations, if true, could have potentially damaging consequences for the FBI.

Edmonds, a former Middle Eastern language specialist hired by the FBI shortly after 9/11, challenged her retaliatory dismissal by filing a law suit in federal court, but her case was dismissed last July after Attorney General John Ashcroft invoked the so-called "state secrets privilege." It was at that time that the Justice Department retroactively classified the two-year old briefings in attempt to bolster its "state secrets" claim. The ACLU is representing Edmonds in her appeal.

..more..
--

--

[G_j]

5. not that "Gannon" is not important but this story is being overlooked here

The Sibel Edmonds story addresses 9-11 and criminal negligence (at the very least) She also directly contradicts the Bush admin's sworn testimony before the 9-11 commission.

[G_j]

6. "Certain elected officials will stand trial and go to prison."

for background on this story I recommend this interview (long but worth it)
----
http://www.antiwar.com/deliso/?articleid=2917

An Interview with Sibel Edmonds
FBI Whistleblower Talks to Antiwar.com
by Christopher Deliso
balkanalysis.com

<snip> from the very end of this long and fascinating interview:

CD: If your full testimony is heard by the public, who or what agencies are going to be in the biggest trouble?

SE: Well, as for agencies I guess the DOJ, FBI, State Department. But in a way these agencies get some kind of immunity when you charge them like this … I hate to see how a lot of agents get stigmatized in this. Most of the field agents I met in the FBI were good, honest and hardworking individuals. They were trying to do their best, but up against this ingrown bureaucracy – this is where you have the problem, as will as with certain elected officials.

CD: What are they so afraid of?

SE: They're afraid of information, of the truth coming out, and accountability – the whole accountability issue that will arise. But it's not as complicated as it might seem. If they were to allow the whole picture to emerge, it would just boil down to a whole lot of money and illegal activities.

CD: Hmm, well I know you can't name names, but can you tell me if any specific officials will suffer if your testimony comes out?

SE: Yes. Certain elected officials will stand trial and go to prison.

[Psephos]

7. Agreed - the public sees this Gannon thing as a minor-league sex story...

...and it is taking the focus off stories that have real substance, like Sibel Edmonds' whistleblowing contretemps at the FBI.

Enough already with Gannon. The public perceives that the emotion driving it is delight in RW hypocrisy, given Gannon's gay prostitute past. But to the RW, the Gannon reaction has become an example of left hypocrisy. In their view, the left focus on Gannon's sexual activities and gay past validates what the RW did to Clinton.

Anytime you have to explain your way out of a position your issue is already in trouble. Gannon is a tar baby. Hug this story and get tar on your shirt.

Let's move on to better stuff. MSM and public attention are limited commodities, and must be used wisely. Edmonds is a great place to start.

[G_j]

10. besides

the Clinton impeachment (coup) attempt by the RW was not supported by public opinion. We don't have a lynch mob in Congress waiting to jump on the Gannon sex angle, although some are demanding an investigation over the press pass, false name and possible Plame leak connection. That is good. Without the vigilante mob though, I don't think the sex angle is going to bring anyone down, of course I could be wrong.

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. Gannon & Sibel may represent the Repub's two punch strategy.

Accentuate the positive and stifle the negative. But it amounts to the same thing: It's a manipulation of information.

[BlueEyedSon]

8. Update on S Edmunds case.... why is this not in the MSM?????

Public Citizen: Justice Department Caves In, Allows Publication of Retroactively Classified Information
Lawsuit Challenged Classification of Public Information

February 22, 2005 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – A hearing scheduled for this morning before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates was abruptly cancelled after the Justice Department gave up and admitted that the information it had retroactively classified could be released to the public.

Last June, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) sued then-Attorney General John Ashcroft and the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) for retroactively classifying information related to whistleblower Sibel Edmonds’ allegations of wrongdoing in an FBI translation unit. The suit alleged that the retroactive classification was unlawful and violated POGO’s First Amendment right to free speech.

The information at issue was presented by the FBI to the Senate Judiciary Committee during two unclassified briefings in 2002. The information was referenced in letters from U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) to DOJ officials. The senators’ letters were posted on their Web sites but were removed after the FBI notified the Senate in May 2004 that the information had been retroactively classified (click here).

http://www.allamericanpatriots.com/m-news+article+storyid-6685-PHPSESSID-b40b459f7b9a8de774192689cfe23af9.html

[s-cubed]

9. Why hasn't she talked yet about what she knows? n/t

[G_j]

11. nominated.. n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

18. Thanks.

[G_j]

20. kick

[BigBearJohn]

12. This is MAJOR. I can't believe the bloggers are not jumping on it!

[G_j]

15. strange isn't it?

well keep yours eyes on this one folks!

[trudyco]

13. Would Olberman like this? -nt

[The Backlash Cometh]

19. How odd. Are you saying that Olberman has never mentioned Sibel?

[Hissyspit]

14. People, Read Will Pitt's Blog: I posted this yesterday and no one

responded to it.

Hissyspit (651 posts) Thu Feb-24-05 01:09 PM
Original message
Will Pitt:: Admin Blinks in Sibel Edmonds Case


(sorry if dupe)

http://forum.truthout.org/blog /

Administration Blinks in Sibel Edmonds Case

By WilliamPitt,

Thu Feb 24th, 2005 at 08:09:07 AM EST :: War on Terror ::
Administration Blinks; Admits Retroactively Classified Information Not Harmful to National Security

February 22, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: [email protected]

Decision Likely to Have Significant Impact on Sibel Edmonds’ Appeal, Says ACLU

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department admitted today that information it had retroactively classified could be released to the public and did not pose a threat to national security. The American Civil Liberties Union said the revelation could aid government whistleblowers in their efforts to fight unlawful dismissals.

"The Justice Department’s long-overdue admission goes to the core of the ACLU’s allegations that the government is going all out to silence whistleblowers to protect itself from political embarrassment," said ACLU Associate Legal Director Ann Beeson, who is representing former FBI translator Sibel Edmonds in a lawsuit challenging her termination. "This is hardly an isolated case, as numerous national security whistleblowers can attest. The government is taking extreme steps to shield itself while gambling with our safety."


In May 2004, the Justice Department retroactively classified information presented two years earlier by the FBI to the Senate Judiciary Committee during two unclassified briefings regarding Edmonds, who had repeatedly reported serious security breaches and misconduct in the agency’s translation program. An executive summary of the Justice Department’s Inspector General report into her termination concluded that Edmonds was fired for reporting the misconduct, and that her allegations, if true, could have potentially damaging consequences for the FBI. Edmonds, a former Middle Eastern language specialist hired by the FBI shortly after 9/11, challenged her retaliatory dismissal by filing a law suit in federal court, but her case was dismissed last July after Attorney General John Ashcroft invoked the so-called "state secrets privilege." It was at that time that the Justice Department retroactively classified the two-year old briefings in attempt to bolster its "state secrets" claim. The ACLU is representing Edmonds in her appeal.

The government will file its response to Edmonds’ appellate brief on February 24th, and has indicated that portions of its response will be classified and unavailable for review by Edmonds or her attorneys. The ACLU’s Beeson said that this use of secrecy is highly suspicious in light of the Justice Department’s admission that the information retroactively classified does not pose a threat to national security.

Today’s actions came as a result of a separate lawsuit filed by the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) against Attorney General Ashcroft and the Justice Department, charging that the retroactive classification in Edmonds’ case was unlawful and violated POGO’s right to free speech. When forced to defend its extreme step of retroactively classifying information, the government was unable to do so and admitted the information could be released to the public without harm to national security.

Today’s development also follows the Justice Department’s release of the full Inspector General report on Edmonds’s dismissal at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 18, at the beginning of a holiday weekend. The ACLU said that the executive summary released last month actually revealed more information than the full 106-page Inspector General report, as the bulk of it was redacted.

The ACLU said that the Edmonds case is part of a larger pattern by the government to silence employees who expose national security blunders. Coleen Rowley, Manny Johnson, Robert Woo, Ray McGovern, Mel Goodman, Bogdan Dzakovic, and Mike German are just a few of the other national security whistleblowers who were vilified and retaliated against.

For a web feature on the Sibel Edmonds case and more information on national security whistleblowers, go here.

Original release.

[The Backlash Cometh]

17. This should make it to the front page. We need to keep Sibel's story

alive.