There are a number of ways in which resistance in Congress has hampered the positive aspects of President Obama's agenda, but the latest disagreement is one in which the White House finds itself on the wrong side. Sens Lieberman and Graham introduced an amendment to the appropriations bill that would essentially allow the government to conceal photos of detainee abuse that are the subject of the ACLU's FOIA lawsuit. House Democrats are considering removing the amendment from the bill.
Daphne Eviatar points out how the White House's support of this bill flies in the face of the Obama administration's proposed commitment to transparency. Worse, it's not as though the law is confined to the photos in question, it would essentially allow the government to legally hide any photos relating to all abusive interrogations conducted in the period between 2001 and 2009 under the pretense of national security. The government should not, as a rule, be allowed to hide the consequences its own bad policies.
-- A. Serwer
