President considering shifting FOIA ombudsman to Justice Department
President Bush is apparently considering moving the new FOIA ombudsman from the National Archives and Records Administration to the Justice Department, much to the consternation of Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., John Cornyn, R-Texas, and access groups. If the Justice Department, one of the most secretive agencies in U.S. government, is in charge of mediating FOIA disputes we might as well write off the ombudsman idea. Groups including SPJ are speaking out against the proposal. See story.