In a 2-1 split ruling, the US Court of Appeals has decided that the CIA can keep its Bay of Pigs invasion history report secret on the grounds that the history only exists in a “draft” form, and was never marked as a final document.
The “Volume V” history details CIA involvement in the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, an attempted CIA-sponsored regime change carried out by paramilitary fighters.
Normally an official government record would eventually be released under the Freedom of Information Act, but preliminary documents aren’t covered, and only the final version has to be released.
That’s where the problem is with Volume V, because it never became a final version at all, and in keeping it marked nominally a “draft” the judges insist the CIA can keep it secret forever.
Judge Judith Rogers, who dissented, said that the CIA hadn’t shown how the release of a document related to 1961 would impact decision-making 50+ years later. Rogers also said that while it made sense to withhold drafts in favor of a final version, it was something else entirely to withhold everything by just never marking anything final.
So from here on all CIA actions will be marked "Draft" and can forever remain secret. Can I do that with my W-2's mark them "draft" and never pay taxes? Oh duh I be a peon citizen not a out side the rule of law government agency under our psychopath President. Yeah Psychopath, uses drone to kill a US citizen, and two weeks later just for thrills kills the guys 16 year old son sitting by a campfire in Yemen. Was that a thrill kill by the Psychopath in Chief, or to put terror in to the hearts of anyone that yomommabama decides is a threat, for after they are gone whistling shrapnel will kill the rest of their family. Never mind that old useless constitution that states no corruption of blood….
So if the CIA just marks everything as a "draft" they never have to release anything. Champagne corks are flying in Langley. Recently, the decisions coming out of US courts defy logic, common sense, and any apparent thought process. Kudos to the dissenting judge who seems to understand the import of this idiotic decision.
More Kafkaesque nonsense from US Federal Courts.
The judge is a looney-toon, that 1961 document is still having a "impact decision-making 50+ years later" by way of sanctions, and isolation.
It's laughable what passes as a "court" these days in the US. Bunch of corrupt bastards. Why not just decree that every government action is a secret by definition.
Whether it’s the courts or the U.S. “Justice” Department, federal shysters are beyond the pale.
US today is on path of 1930' Germany. They too lost two wars in a row. They too felt unjustly poor and with no resources to pay.for their war-fun. It lookswe are heading to dog days.