Re: DoD Asks Me to Stop Quoting From the Congressional Record

[tcmay@got.net (Tim May)]

(A copy of this message has also been posted to the following newsgroups:
alt.censorship, alt.privacy,comp.org.eff.talk,misc.legal)

In article <61l7cn$rc$1@gail.ripco.com>, glr@ripco.com (Glen Roberts) wrote:

> I received a letter yesterday from the Office of the Secretary of
> Defense. It politely asked me to stop quoting from the U.S.
> Congressional on my website, and I presume they are also asking me
> not to include such quotes on my radio show or print publications.
> 
> Keep your eye out for a copy of their letter and my response...
> 

I'll be anxious to see it. 

Certainly they have no legal footing, as the Congressional Record is just
that, a record of what our elected Congress is doing and saying. 

The CR is, as we all know, widely available and meant to be quoted. This
is why things, including a lot of nonsense (actually, _mostly_ nonsense)
is "read into the Record." Or simply submitted to the CR for inclusion.

As for any possible military secrets being disclosed, this is what closed
hearings are for. Not that I necessarily approve of how many closed
hearings there are, but this is what they're meant for. 

It would be consistent with trends of the past few decades if the
Congressional Record becomes subject to secrecy laws. Hell, if were a
Congresscritter I know I'd certainly want some of my stupid remarks
stricken from the record and discussion of them banned.

Let us know what happens. By the way, if the DoD pushes on this issue, you
may find using mirrors of the CR, with pointers, another way to go. Don't
actually quote the offending secruts, just give pointers to them.

But quoting the CR is almost certainly fully legal.

--Tim May

-- 
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