Government who claimed State Secrets against Sibel Edmonds, now put forth "secrets" in tort review

[cascadiance]

It now appears that the courts, which earlier had dismissed court cases and gagged Sibel Edmonds with the "State Secrets Privilege" is now reviewing the usage of State Secrets privilege usage and doing so in front of individuals without clearances, which Sibel Edmonds and her lawyers argue now that doing so is in effect an admission that this privilege was used more to avoid accountability than truly be used to protect state secrets as it was supposed to be used.

From:

http://oraclesyndicate.twoday.net/stories/4229469/

Mittwoch, 5. September 2007

Government reveals its own abuse of State Secrets Privilege
Department of Justice, Which Claimed State Secrets Required Termination of Whistleblower Suit, Now Relies on Same "Secrets" to Avoid Tort Liability.




During recent depositions conducted by the Justice Department in a lawsuit filed by Edmonds under FTC, Department of Justice and FBI attorneys, Dan Barish and Ernest Batenga, questioned witnesses on and discussed information that was previously declared state secrets.

This information was communicated on the record in the presence of parties who did not have security clearance. Information such as the nature of Ms. Edmonds’ work with the FBI, the specific FBI units where she performed translation, FBI target countries, the arrest warrant issued by the Turkish government for Ms. Edmonds’ sister, and congressional letters regarding the consequences of Dickerson’s espionage case in Turkey and here in the U.S., all of which were retroactively classified by the Justice Department, was discussed and put in the court record.

Edmonds’ responded to this recent development: “The Department of Justice has now confirmed what we knew all along: it is abusing the state secrets privilege to avoid accountability, not to protect national security. How can it be that the very same information is a state secret when it would assist plaintiffs suing the government, but not a state secret when it would assist the government in defeating plaintiffs? It's long past time for Congress to put an end to the government's misuse and abuse of the state secrets privilege."

Currently Edmonds, her attorneys, and civil liberties group are reviewing this latest disturbing development and its implications on other SSP and government secrecy cases. The law firm Motley Rice has also been notified since their case is still active.
The following quotes are from legal experts and government watchdog organizations:

“This latest revelation proves that throwing Ms. Edmonds’ case out of court was a travesty and a ploy, because no state secrets would have been revealed,” said David K. Colapinto, General Counsel for the National Whistleblower Center. “If the courts won’t prevent the government from using the State Secrets Privilege as a trump card to cover-up agency wrongdoing and to defeat meritorious claims, like Ms. Edmonds’ whistleblower case, then Congress must act to stop this odious practice."
...

[Richard Steele]

1. It's only "secret" when calling it that allows them to avoid prosecution.

They retain the privilege of screaming it
on streetcorners when and if it serves their
personal agenda.

Can we call it "fascism" yet?

recommended

[aquart]

2. I do.

[Richard Steele]

3. Well, that's TWO of us, friend.

Mighty oaks do from tiny acorns grow.

[Richard Steele]

4. Ya gotta KICK when you rec, folks! nm