Environmental Group Seeks To Protect Informant

WASHINGTON — The National Wildlife Federation on Tuesday challenged a government subpoena aimed at finding out who leaked the Bush administration's plans to weaken the Endangered Species Act just weeks before President Barack Obama took office.

In a letter to the office of the Commerce Department inspector general, the federation argued that the demand for some of the private group's records violates First Amendment rights to free speech and freedom of association.

A subpoena from IG Todd Zinser seeks documents that would identify who leaked draft environmental rules to the federation last summer.

Lawyers representing the federation are offering to meet with the IG's office to discuss the environmental group's objections. If the IG refuses to withdraw the subpoena, the dispute would head to federal court, where a judge would decide whether to enforce the IG's demands.

The IG's office says its inquiry focuses on the government's ability to deliberate policies privately. Federal regulation bars government workers from disclosing nonpublic information.

The federation says that in disclosing the information, it was keeping the public informed.

"We were able to expose a last-ditch effort by the Bush administration to weaken our nation's most important wildlife law," said John Kostyack, executive director of wildlife conservation and global warming at the federation.

Kostyack has said that a "whistle-blower" sent him the draft regulation, which enables federal agencies to decide for themselves whether highways, dams, mines and other construction projects might harm endangered animals and plants.

On March 3, Obama put the Bush regulation on hold until the Interior and Commerce departments complete a review.

Comments

[BldHrtLibDem]

Knowing we have a Justice Department that seems interested in, y'know, justice makes me hope for more whistleblower protections. There's a TON of money flowing out and it would be nice if taxpayers could descend on anyone wasting it. Corruption? Waste? As McCain said, MAKE THEM FAMOUS!

[patianneb]

God bless the whistle blower and the new administration for putting the brakes on this hideous attempt to make sportkillers like Cheney along with the magnates of greed and wanton pollution and destruction happy.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

Oh really? They have lost all credibility with me and they will get ZERO monetary support from me in the future. Apparently­... they are wolves in sheep's clothing.

They've been a scam all along.... what a surprise in the Bush era. No, not really.

[TheGreenMiles]

Concerned, the original headline of this article was misleading. NWF helped blow the whistle on the Bush administration's plan to weaken the Endangered Species Act, and now the government is going after NWF to get us to reveal our source. As you can see, the headline has been updated.

[RevBookburn]

Hopefully the judge will have enough sense and principle to void the subpoena. The 'leak' was a heroic act from a person who exposed one of the final criminal acts of the Bush regime. Among the many crimes (e.g. war, economic destruction) that Bush should be prosecuted for, this stealth legislation is a must for the list. Rev. Bookburn - Radio Volta