DHS Secrecy Policy Reversal a Step Forward, Say Unions

[liveoaktx]

Link

"The Department of Homeland Security finally is moving in the right direction," American Federation of Government
Employees (AFGE) President John Gage and National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) President Colleen M. Kelley jointly said of DHS' decision to modify its mandatory non-disclosure agreement for employees. "However, there still is language that concerns us, specifically regarding the 'For Official Use Only'
information category."
"DHS' decision to keep the FOUO category is an invitation for injustice," the two said. "The potential for misuse here is astronomical. The policy still is not clear regarding who can designate FOUO and how employees who are found in violation of the agreement will be disciplined. Additionally, we still are concerned with the overly broad, subjective designation of sensitive but unclassified information."
Under the original policy, all new employees were required to sign non-disclosure agreements for handling unclassified information. The form also allowed the department to investigate employees at any given time. "This unprecedented access to employees' homes and personal belongings is illegal and horribly unjustified," Gage and Kelley said.
.......
AFGE and NTEU had called upon DHS Secretary Tom Ridge to withdraw the original directive, citing it as imposing "unprecedented restrictions and conditions on the free speech rights" of DHS workers

[UL_Approved]

1. Strange headway

This seems to be a step away from the totalitarian police state which has unfolded in the last 4 or so years. This is good. Maybe that old Star Wars quote from Princess Leia in Episode IV will come to pass...

BTW, Antonin Scalea made a strong opposition to the new sentencing laws ruling today. He said it would lead to abuse by judges (of all things...).