Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Bush AWOL: More Republican lawbreaking, as AP sues for records
But finally! AP is suing to get them. (Say, that court is in New York, isn't it? Where's the sadly irrelevant New York Times on this?) Anyhow:
Delay, delay. Slime and defend...
But, but... I thought Bush released "all" the records?! Heh. Pass the popcorn!
Oh, and nobody has ever come forward to The $10,000 reward for an eyewitness account of Bush doing his duty in Alabama during his "missing months." I wonder why?
There are questions as to whether the file provided to the news media earlier this year is complete, says the lawsuit, adding that these questions could possibly be answered by reviewing a copy of the microfilm of Bush's personnel file in the Texas archives.
The Air National Guard of the United States, a federal entity, has control of the microfilm, which should be disclosed in its entirety under the Freedom of Information Act, the lawsuit says.
The White House has yet to respond to a request by the AP in April...
Delay, delay. Slime and defend...
asking the president to sign a written waiver of his right to keep records of his military service confidential. Bush gave an oral waiver in a TV appearance that preceded the White House's release this year of materials concerning his National Guard service.
The government "did not expedite their response ... they did not produce the file within the time required by law, and they will not now estimate when the file might be produced or even confirm that an effort has been initiated to retrieve a copy from the microfilm at the Texas archives," the lawsuit says.
In the absence of any privacy objection by the president and in light of the importance of the file's release in advance of the November election, says the lawsuit, AP seeks a court order to compel the release of records "that are being unlawfully withheld from the public."
The released records were from the Texas Air National Guard at Camp Mabry and the Defense Financing Accounting Service in Denver.
Under Texas law, a copy of military personnel files of those serving in the Texas Air National Guard must be retained on microfilm at the Texas archives.
The lawsuit says that no one has looked at any of the Texas Air National Guard records maintained at the state archives since 1996.
(via AP)
But, but... I thought Bush released "all" the records?! Heh. Pass the popcorn!
Oh, and nobody has ever come forward to The $10,000 reward for an eyewitness account of Bush doing his duty in Alabama during his "missing months." I wonder why?