The Daily Brew has a great way to annoy the GOP, the administration, and Bush - and it just may help the nation. There is a Word version at his website for your convenience in snail mailing the request.
http://www.thedailybrew.com/
The Daily Brew
© February 4, 2004
Fun with FOIA
Do you want to have a little fun with the Freedom of Information Act,
and potentially have a major impact in the US Presidential election?
Send this letter to the Department of Defense, and see if anyone
notices. Be sure to insert your real name, address and phone number at
the beginning and end of the letter, and note you are on the hook for
$50 in copying fees. For your convenience, a copy of the letter in
Microsoft word format is available at http://www.thedailybrew.com.
your full name
your full address
your phone number
February 4, 2004
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
OATSD (PA)
Rm 1400 Defense, Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1400
(703) 697-1180
fax 703-693-7341
FOIA REQUEST
Dear FOI Officer:
Pursuant to the federal Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. s. 552, I
request access to and copies of any records demonstrating that any
payments were made to President George W. Bush for active duty service
in the National Guard from the time period beginning May 1, 1972 and
ending April 30, 1973.
I agree to pay reasonable duplication fees for the processing of this
request in an amount not to exceed $50. However, please notify me prior
to your incurring any expenses in excess of that amount.
As a free-lance researcher who will provide this information to the
news media, I am only required to pay for the direct cost of
duplication after the first 100 pages.
...
(continues)
http://www.thedailybrew.com/
Through this request, I am gathering information on allegations that
President George W. Bush was absent without leave (AWOL) from his
duties in the National Guard. This is of current interest to the public
because the Democratic and Republican National Committee Chairmen have
given directly contradicting statements regarding these allegations.
This information is being sought for dissemination to the general
public. There is simply no question that the pay records will provide
definitive proof of whether President Bush performed any of his
obligations for service in the National Guard during the disputed time
period. I plan on releasing this information to the New York Times, the
Washington Post, the ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox networks, as well as
numerous internet based news services, free of charge. The national
attention already afforded this controversy, coupled with the immediacy
of the ongoing primary process and pending national elections, insures
that there is no reasonable possibility that this information will not
be disseminated on a world-wide basis by virtually every news
organization covering US politics.
Please waive any applicable fees. Release of the information is in the
public interest because it will contribute significantly to public
understanding of government operations and activities. Specifically, a
controversy regarding allegations that President George W. Bush was
absent without leave (AWOL) from his obligations to the National Guard
during the relevant time period has been raised in the national media.
At a speech in Raleigh, N.C. February 2, 2004, Republican National
Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie made the following comments regarding
statements made by Democrat National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe
about the President's service in the military:
"This is a demonstrably false and malicious charge that would be
slanderous under any ordinary circumstance. It's not unusual, however,
for Mr. McAuliffe to not tell the truth on national television...Terry
McAuliffe has become the John Wilkes Booth of character assassination."
The information sought under this request will allow the public to
determine whether the charge by Mr. McAuliffe is, in fact,
"demonstrably false" as stated by Mr. Gillespie. The undersigned will
release the information to the New York Times, the Washington Post, the
ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox news networks, as well as numerous internet based
news services.
If my request is denied in whole or part, I ask that you justify all
deletions by reference to specific exemptions of the act. I will also
expect you to release all segregable portions of otherwise exempt
material. I, of course, reserve the right to appeal your decision to
withhold any information or to deny a waiver of fees. Please provide
expedited review of this request which concerns a matter of urgency. As
a free lance researcher for traditional and internet based news
organizations, I am primarily engaged in disseminating information. The
public has an urgent need for information about President George W.
Bush's National Guard Service records because there is a compelling
need for bringing information on this subject to the public's attention
now. This need involves critical questions about President George W.
Bush's honesty, as well as his honor and dignity, to which informed
members of the public might reasonably consider during the ongoing
primary elections, and the national election scheduled for next fall.
Further delay of the release of this information would simply rob the
public of its ability to cast their votes with the benefit of the truth
regarding this controversy. There is a need, therefore, to address
these serious allegations of governmental wrongdoing in a timely
manner. I certify that my statements concerning the need for expedited
review are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.
I look forward to your reply within 20 business days, as the statute
requires.
Thank you for your assistance.
Very truly yours,
your full name