Oops! Appeals court rules against Justice in Tom DeLay FOIA case
April 01, 2014, 04:03 pm
Appeals court rules against Justice in DeLay FOIA case
By Megan Wilson
A federal appeals court on Tuesday said that the Justice Department did not provide good enough reason to withhold documents related to its investigation into former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
The appeals court overturned a district court ruling that had allowed the department to withhold documents related to its case against DeLay. It remanded the decision back to the district court, which will give the Justice Department another opportunity to argue why the documents should not be released.
The documents were requested by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) in 2010 under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
The groups have sought information for why Justice chose not to prosecute DeLay (R-Texas) for alleged crimes related to the investigation and conviction of lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
DeLay was ensnared in the FBI’s investigation into Abramoff after two of his former aides were convicted of conspiring with the super lobbyist. In 2010, DeLay announced that the Department of Justice said it would not bring charges against him.
CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan said the decision was a “big win for anyone who believes that powerful people should not be shielded from scrutiny when they flagrantly violate the law.”
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http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/202336-appeals-court-rules-against-justice-in-delay-foia-case
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