The Gamut

Senior members of the Senate Judiciary Committee asked the Justice Department on Friday to declassify three reports concerning the FBI's translation program and information obtained by federal law enforcement agencies prior to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
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"While the needs of national security must be weighed seriously, we fear that the designation of information as classified in some cases serves to protect the executive branch against embarrassing revelations and full accountability. We hope that is not the case here," the senators wrote.

The lawmakers asked the department to take one of the following steps: release an unclassified version of each of the reports; release a redacted version of each, or release an unclassified summary of each. The senators asked for a reply by Thursday.

"Releasing declassified versions of these reports, or at least portions or summaries, would serve the public's interest, increase transparency, promote effectiveness and efficiency at the FBI, and facilitate congressional oversight," the legislators wrote. "To do otherwise could damage the public's confidence not only in the government's ability to protect the nation, but also in the government's ability to police itself."