Obama Administration Revises State Secrets Policy

Attorney General Eric Holder vowed last month to tighten standards when the executive branch invokes the state secrecy privilege.

 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Attorney General Eric Holder vowed last month to tighten standards when the executive branch invokes the state secrecy privilege.

This privilage was abused by the Bush administration in order to cover up “government misconduct,” according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

Examples the ACLU citied include the uses of controversial warrantless wiretapping, secret kidnappings and renditions, and extreme interrogation methods of detainees accused of terrorism.

The Justice Department stated that it would “not to invoke the privilege for the purpose of concealing government wrongdoing or avoiding embarrassment to government agencies or officials.”