Judge Dismisses Lawsuit by Fired FBI Translator

[shraby]

WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal judge threw out a lawsuit Tuesday by a whistle-blower who alleged security lapses in the FBI's translator program, ruling that her claims might expose government secrets that could damage national security.
U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton said he was satisfied with claims by Attorney General John Ashcroft and a senior FBI official that the civil lawsuit by Sibel Edmonds could expose intelligence-gathering methods and disrupt diplomatic relations with foreign governments.

The judge said he couldn't explain further because his explanation itself would expose sensitive secrets.

Edmonds, a former contract linguist for the FBI, said she will appeal the ruling. She alleged in her lawsuit that she was fired in March 2002 after she complained to FBI managers about shoddy wiretap translations and told them an interpreter with a relative at a foreign embassy might have compromised national security.

(more)

<http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB1EB7NCWD.html>

[burrowowl]

1. Couldn't explain

because sensitive secrets would be exposed?
Secrets sensitivie to who? The BFEE?

[faithnotgreed]

2. sibel was just gitmo'd: "judge couldnt explain because explanation

would expose sensitive secrets"

this is guantanamo, 9/11 commission, energy task force, iraqi torture, etc one more time

ive just been emailing ny times, wash post, cnn about valerie plame plus i mentioned sibel edmonds.

even though i have no representation (dc), i need to email the 2 senators who sibel went to initially and who confirmed her story. leahy?

can anyone help here?

[Wapsie B]

3. Let her present her case to the World Court.

It's obvious Johnny Asscrack is trying to hide some damaging information and will put the screws to any court in this country. Let her go to the Hague.

[Spiffarino]

4. So the judge can't explain on national security grounds

Sounds like National Security is a ready-made excuse for every convenient decision any neocon judge feels like making.

The Judicial branch needs a huge enema.

[w13rd0]

5. Info on judge...

U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/printedition/bal-te.hatfill30mar30,0,1542132.story?coll=bal-pe-asection
--> this would be the lawsuit filed by Steven J Hatfill regarding the anthrax investigation...remember that one.

http://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/walton-bio.html
--> He's a George W Bush appointee.

I can not determine whether he is a Heritage Foundation member or not.

anyone else?

[enough]

6. I love the smell of Kafka in the morning.

What else did we think they would do with this case -- let the truth be heard?

[truthspeaker]

7. leak leak leak!

Several senators have Edmond's testimony from before it was classified. Will one of them do the patriotic thing and leak it?

[enough]

8. The more I think about this, the more enraged I become.

snip>

In his decision, Walton acknowledged that dismissing a lawsuit before the facts of the case can be heard is "Draconian" and said he was throwing out the lawsuit "with great consternation."

"Mindful of the need for virtual unfettered access to the judicial process in a governmental system integrally linked to the rule of law, the court nonetheless concludes that the government has properly invoked the state secrets privilege," Walton ruled.

Edmonds' lawyer, Mark S. Zaid, called the decision "another example of the executive branch's abuse of secrecy to prevent accountability."

"The judiciary seems to be unwilling to do anything but capitulate to assertions of national security," Zaid said.

snip>


Is there any recourse here? Can it be appealed? We are seeing the shutting down of the judicial system in the United States.