Here's more on the scandal about the DOJ demanding that public libraries destroy DOJ publications about asset forfeiture.

    From: Patrice McDermott <pmcdermott@alawash.org>
    Date: July 23, 2004 12:31:22 PM EDT
    To: govinfo@ala1.ala.org, FOI-L@LISTSERV.SYR.edu, access@lyris.ombwatch.org
    Cc: in_defense_of_freedom@mailman.epic.org
    Subject: [IDOF] Fwd: RE: DOJ asks depository libraries to destroy forfeiture documents

    As you may be aware, the DOJ has asked the Superintendent of Documents
    to instruct depository libraries to destroy all copies of the materials
    listed below. DOJ claims that these are "training materials and other
    materials that the DOJ staff did not feel were appropriate for external
    use." GPO/SuDocs is doing what it is required to do and did do a
    specific check with DOJ on this request - so that is not the issue

    It is the case, however, that -- as one attorney put it -- these are
    the types of materials that law offices have on hand "to help people get
    their stuff back" from the government. Moreover, if law offices and law
    libraries (I presume) have them, they are hardly internal use only.

    I understand that DOJ has wanted -- for years -- to keep this material
    internal and has not succeeded in doing so. Now what they will be doing
    is making it difficult for the public -- those without access to a law
    office or law library -- to get access to these materials.

    ALA will be working on this issue and encourages you to contact your
    Members of Congress about this(particularly if they are on the House or
    Senate Judiciary Committees) [see
    http://capwiz.com/ala/dbq/officials/directory/directory.dbq?command=congdir]
    & to share this information with other 'stakeholders.'

    Thanks,

    Patrice

    *********************************
    Title: Civil and Criminal Forfeiture Procedure
    Class: J 1.2:C 49/17
    Item no: 0717
    Shipping list: 2004-0276-M
    Shipping list date: May 7, 2004

    Title: Select Criminal Forfeiture Forms
    Class: J 1.2:F 76/8
    Item no.: 0717
    Shipping list: 2004-0038-P
    Shipping list date: December 12, 2003

    Title: Select Federal Asset Forfeiture Statutes
    Class: J 1.2:AS 7/2/2004
    Item no.: 0717
    Shipping list no.: 2004-0077-P
    Shipping list date: February 5, 2004

    Title: Asset forfeiture and money laundering resource directory
    Class: J 1.89/3:M 74/2004
    Item no.: 0717 A 11
    Shipping list no. 2004-0120-P
    Shipping list date: March 24, 2004

    Title: Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 (CAFRA), PL no.
    106-185, 114 Stat. 202 (2000)
    Class: J 1.2:C 49/16
    Item no: 0717
    Shipping list no.: 2000-0367-P
    Shipping list date: September 23, 2000

    Patrice McDermott
    Deputy Director, Office of Govt Relations
    American Library Association
    1301 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. S. 403
    Washington, DC 20004-1701
    http://www.ala.org/washoff
    202-628-8410

                   "Russell, Judith C. (SuDoc)" <jrussell@gpo.gov> 7/22/2004 3:48:54

    PM >>>
    These DOJ documents were intended for internal use only, but were not
    correctly marked as internal use only when sent to GPO for printing.
    Had
    they been correctly marked, we would not have obtained and distributed
    copies without the permission of the publishing of the publishing
    agency.

    I personally spoke with the printing officer at DOJ and advised him
    about
    the definition in Title 44 that allow GPO to disseminate publications
    that
    are for internal use only if they have educational value or public
    interest.
    He advised me that these were training materials and other materials
    that
    the DOJ staff did not feel were appropriate for external use. Agencies
    have
    the option to ask that the item be destroyed by the libraries or
    returned
    either to GPO or the publishing agency. In this case, DOJ was satisfied
    with
    having the libraries remove the item and dispose of it.

    This is a routine process. There is a SuDocs policy in place for
    agencies to
    recall material. The agency must give a reason for the recall and, in
    this
    case, I personally verified that it was a valid reason.

    We are retaining several copies for the Collection of Last Resort and
    future
    public access if that is permissible in the future.

    Please let me know if you need additional information.

    Judy

    Judith C. Russell (jrussell@gpo.gov)
    Managing Director, Information Dissemination (Superintendent of
    Documents)
    U.S. Government Printing Office
    Phone: 202-512-0571
    Fax: 202-512-1434

    ***
    July 20, 2004

    Dear Depository Librarian:

    The Department of Justice has asked the Superintendent of Documents to
    instruct depository libraries to destroy all copies of the materials
    listed
    below. Please withdraw these materials immediately and destroy them by
    any
    means to prevent disclosure of their contents. The Department of
    Justice
    has determined that these materials are for internal use only.

    Documents to be removed and destroyed:

    Title: Civil and Criminal Forfeiture Procedure
    Class: J 1.2:C 49/17
    Item no: 0717
    Shipping list: 2004-0276-M
    Shipping list date: May 7, 2004

    Title: Select Criminal Forfeiture Forms
    Class: J 1.2:F 76/8
    Item no.: 0717
    Shipping list: 2004-0038-P
    Shipping list date: December 12, 2003

    Title: Select Federal Asset Forfeiture Statutes
    Class: J 1.2:AS 7/2/2004
    Item no.: 0717
    Shipping list no.: 2004-0077-P
    Shipping list date: February 5, 2004

    Title: Asset forfeiture and money laundering resource directory
    Class: J 1.89/3:M 74/2004
    Item no.: 0717 A 11
    Shipping list no. 2004-0120-P
    Shipping list date: March 24, 2004

    Title: Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 (CAFRA), PL no.
    106-185, 114 Stat. 202 (2000)
    Class: J 1.2:C 49/16
    Item no: 0717
    Shipping list no.: 2000-0367-P
    Shipping list date: September 23, 2000

    Both GPO and the U.S. Department of Justice regret any inconvenience
    resulting from this request and we appreciate your cooperation.

    Sincerely,

    JUDITH C. RUSSELL
    Superintendent of Documents
    ________________________

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J. Bradley Jansen
PO Box 2658
Washington, DC 20013-2658
"Free markets are a necessary condition of liberty, prosperity and tolerance."
  

 

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