DOJ stalling release of 9/11 Commission ‘Wall’ documents (letter to Rep. Bill Shuster)

911FamiliesForAmerica.org ^ | May 6, 2009 | Tim Sumner

[Sergeant Tim]

On April 22, 2009, the Legislative Archive verbally informed me that the [9/11 Commission’s ‘Staff Monograph about the Wall’] was releasable and I would “likely have a copy in [my] hands within two weeks.” Yet a memo to me dated April 23, 2009 from the Legislative Archive in part states, “[I]t was determined by the National Archives that the monograph requires official declassification review before it can be released. I will submit the 35-page document to the reviewing agency as a mandatory declassification review request in your name tomorrow.”

A person who had reviewed the staff monograph subsequently stated to me, “While it contains only a brief passage that might be considered sensitive in nature, the mechanics of information sharing, expect the DOJ to heavily redact it.” They added, “When Jamie Gorelick hears the monograph’s release has been held up, she will be furious.” They were not the first with knowledge of the monograph to describe it in those terms, albeit no one has disclosed to me its actual classified contents.

Those events and statements, coupled with previously released government documents, indicates to me that contrary to the 9/11 Commission’s founding principles and Executive Order 12958, political considerations motivated the DOJ to order – 4 ½ years after the Commission ended its work – an official declassification review of the monograph and to delay the release of eight related memorandums for record (MFRs).

[Sergeant Tim]

Two additional points that I did not include within my letter:

1) Regardless of what you think about the 9/11 Commission proceedings and politics, the report was superbly staffed; all classified information would have been declassified or removed prior to the monograph being finalized in 2004.

2) The Staff Monograph about the Wall is the only monograph that has not been released.

BTW: The media never asked if additional monographs existed, as I did when they announced the new releases on January 14. Had they asked, the Legislative Archive would have told them.

[Sergeant Tim]

Eric Holder’s Department of Justice ping!

[HOYA97]

What is the Staff Monograph and Wall?

[Western Phil]

Others will have more accurate details, but I think the Wall refers to Gorelock’s edict that the FBI & the CIA were share no information.

[Sergeant Tim]

For the published staff monographs, see http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/911/staff_statements/index.htm and http://www.archives.gov/legislative/research/9-11/staff-monographs.html Seriously, you don't know what 'the Wall' is? If not, you have not read the 9/11 Commission Report or, at least, Andy McCarthy's National Review Online writings about Jamie Gorelick.

[Sergeant Tim]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A20786-2004Apr17?language=printer

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MGQ0OWQ1NjhiZWQ2MGM3MGRkODI2YTJhMzZiOGY0YWI=

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123154838577269937.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123208013400289235.html

[HOYA97]

Yes the wall of seperation. Know I remember.

[denydenydeny]

See, there was this big thing called 9/11. It was in all the papers.

The Wall is how it was able to happen.

[Sergeant Tim]

“...wall of separation.”

If by that you mean institutional risk aversion caused people who gather intelligence to withhold it because they were afraid sharing it would harm prosecutions after the fact, you might remember. If you also recall that risk aversion kept them from sharing with the people who needed the intelligence to prevent mass murder before the “crime,” you really do remember.

[SoCalPol]

Thank you always for your good work Tim