Friday, February 17, 2012

DOJ Withholds 25 Documents
on Closeted Ex-Sen. Hatfield

I'm still waiting for the Federal Bureau of Investigation to complete its review of the 6,400-plus pages found in the vaults responsive to my Freedom of Information Act request for all files on the late closeted ex-Sen. Mark Hatfield, a Republican who served for decades as one of Oregon's senators.

However, as part of the agency's search the criminal division of the Department of Justice located 25 documents, number of pages unknown, and all of them are being withheld according to a letter sent to me. DOJ cited four exemptions in FOIA allowing for not releasing the records, in addition to stating portions of the records are sealed by order of a federal court.

I believe the 25 documents are separate from the 6,400-plus pages over all, and have asked the FBI to expedite release of those pages. Let's hope they agree to that request shortly.

Here's the DOJ letter that arrived yesterday. Click to enlarge:


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