CIA Redacted 'Off The Record, No Comment' From Released Documents

from the huh? dept

Over at The Intercept, there’s an article claiming that the AP’s national security reporter Ken Dilanian had a too cozy relationship with the CIA while he was at the Tribune Company. It’s an interesting read, based on pages upon pages of emails between reporters and the CIA that were released under a FOIA request. However, what caught my attention, more than the full story, was something in all of those emails, spotted by Katherine Hawkins. And it’s that, on page 363, it seems clear that the CIA, when releasing these emails, redacted the line “Off the record, no comment.” It’s rather obvious, because Dilanian immediately repeats that line right back, somewhat angrily at the ridiculousness of it.

Rather than using the all purpose b(5) redaction, it appears that the CIA is claiming a b(3) and b(6) reason for this comment being “redacted” (even though they left it in in Dilanian’s reply). b(3) is for documents “specifically exempted from disclosure by statute” and b(6) is for documents “personnel and medical and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.”

I’m curious how “off the record, no comment” qualifies as either. It appears to be redactions for redactions’ sake.

Filed Under: cia, ken dilanian, no comment, redactions