Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Numismatic Groups Appeal FOIA Decision

The ACCG, IAPN and PNG have appealed Judge Leon's FOIA ruling in an effort to continue to press their quest for greater transparency and accountability in the State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs' processes for imposing import restrictions on cultural goods. See http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/collectors-to-appeal-judges-decision-condoning-state-department-secrecy-80717897.html

The ACCG press release notes that a wide gulf exists between the Obama Administration's rhetoric about "open government" and how the Obama State Department has defended and continued the secretive processes of the Bush State Department. A cynic might also wonder the extent to which a desire to protect the reputation of former Undersecretary of State and Obama supporter Nicholas Burns has entered the mix. See http://culturalpropertyobserver.blogspot.com/2008/08/nicholas-burns-philhellene-cultural.html and http://www.newsweek.com/id/165650

For more about Judge Leon's ruling, see http://culturalpropertyobserver.blogspot.com/2009/11/so-much-for-transparency-and.html

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