What are they hiding???

[Waitone]

http://newswithviews.com/news_worthy/news_worthy66.htm

ALBERTO GONZALES FOIA


Posted; 1:05 AM Eastern
May 26, 2005
NewsWithViews.com

In January 2005, Newswithviews.com filed a Freedom of Information Act Request (FOIA) with the United States Air Force Academy regarding the service record of Alberto Gonzales who is now the Attorney General of these united States of America.

While some documentation was provided, much of it was redacted. The biggest glaring ommission in the documents provided is the requested DD 1870 Nomination Form which gives the entire history of when and who nominated Mr. Gonzales for a slot at the Academy. This document was not included in the response from the USAF Academy.

NVWs did not file an appeal on this FOIA due to manpower resources. Our news editor has had extensive dealings with the Freedom of Information Act process and the reluctance by all government agencies in providing requested documentation. Just about all "politically sensitive" FOIAs end up in a lawsuit because the federal government fights tooth and nail to keep documents from being released under the FOIA.

It is interesting that the documents provided under this FOIA are so heavily redacted and the one document which would show who nominated Gonzales and eased his way into the top eschelon of politics was denied.

© 2005 NewsWithViews.com - All Rights Reserved

[Preacherman]

Their complaint makes no sense.  Whoever nominated Mr. Gonzales for a slot at the Academy can hardly be said to have "eased his way into the top echelon of politics" - you might as well accuse every single graduate of every service academy of being "eased into politics".  The two issues are not connected.  Furthermore, it's normal to conceal identities of those involved in such matters when the subject is a politically sensitive appointee.  It's a security risk.  IIRC, the Clinton administration would have done the same thing, for the same reasons.

Methinks the author doth protest too much...

[Waitone]

What is so interesting is Gonzales got an appointment.  Either it was congressional or presidential.  Presidential appointments are reserved for sons and daughters of military.  Congressional is congressional.  Presidential appointments are competitive (oh, are they competitive) while congressional are political in that it is up to federal elected officials by the state to nominate according to whatever standard they choose.

What catches my eye is Gonzales ups and decides to leave during his tenure at the academy.  I was not aware one could simply walk away from such an appointment since there are contracts and other stuff.  Somehow he was able to leave for evidently no known reason.  I personally would like to know who got him into the academy and eventually who juiced his exit.

It would also be interesting to see if all such records are not available.  We have a few academy graduates on the forums.  I'd like to see their comments.

A little more history here but still no indication how he could walk off from an appointment http://www.texasbar.com/customsource/wrapper/globals/tbj/2001/feb01/gonzales.asp

[Silver Bullet]

Didn't Kerry refuse to make public his military service record ?