Can we see the military voting settlements?
Over the last two weeks, the Justice Department has had a flurry of enforcement activity after the Military Voting Protection Project, run by former DOJ lawyer Eric Eversole alerted the DOJ to violations of the MOVE Act in many states. After that, a number of agreements were reached with states like Mississippi, Nevada, North Dakota and Kansas.
These were not lawsuits, they were memoranda of agreement. More on why that is perplexing another day.
But what is perplexing today is that the actual documents appear nowhere to be found, and reviewed by the public for effectiveness.
For example, a press release on Kansas and Mississippi. No agreement released.
A press release on Nevada. No agreement released.
These two press releases refer to a North Dakota agreement, but yet no mention of any North Dakota settlement was announced.
Obviously no agreement would be available if the settlement with North Dakota was never announced.
Perhaps we can't find any trace of the actual agreements because of inadequate internet skill. Or, perhaps the extremely busy Office of Public Affairs simply forgot to announce the North Dakota settlement and overlooked providing the public with the actual papers which will govern the protection of military voting rights in four states. Or, perhaps, something else.
If anyone can provide any help about where to find these agreements so the public can see the terms, let us know.
These were not lawsuits, they were memoranda of agreement. More on why that is perplexing another day.
But what is perplexing today is that the actual documents appear nowhere to be found, and reviewed by the public for effectiveness.
For example, a press release on Kansas and Mississippi. No agreement released.
A press release on Nevada. No agreement released.
These two press releases refer to a North Dakota agreement, but yet no mention of any North Dakota settlement was announced.
Obviously no agreement would be available if the settlement with North Dakota was never announced.
Perhaps we can't find any trace of the actual agreements because of inadequate internet skill. Or, perhaps the extremely busy Office of Public Affairs simply forgot to announce the North Dakota settlement and overlooked providing the public with the actual papers which will govern the protection of military voting rights in four states. Or, perhaps, something else.
If anyone can provide any help about where to find these agreements so the public can see the terms, let us know.
Posted by Christian Adams at October 18, 2010 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Military Voting Nevada MOVE Justice Department Kansas Mississippi North Dakota
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: Military Voting Nevada MOVE Justice Department Kansas Mississippi North Dakota
Am I right in thinking that (a) the public has a FOIA right to these documents, and (b) it would not be criminal or disciplinable for a civil servant to leak them to this website?
I don't know the relevant law, so this is a real question. Answering it here might help encourage leaks.
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