“The only effective restraint upon executive policy and power in the areas of national defense and international affairs may lie in an enlightened citizenry—in an informed and critical public opinion which alone can here protect the values of democratic government.” —New York Times Co. v. United States 403 U.S. 713, 728 (1971)
MFIA represents clients asserting constitutional and statutory rights to information critical to oversight of our nation’s security policies. On behalf of our clients, we have sought access to judicial opinions, regulations, and rules governing communications surveillance, in addition to fighting for limits on the extent to which the recipients of investigative demands may be prevented from discussing the government’s actions with the press and the public.
Ongoing cases include:
Muhammad Husain v. Gates, 08-cv-01360 (D.D.C.) MFIA represents ProPublica journalist Raymond Bonner in his efforts to assert a constitutional right of access to sealed records in the habeas proceeding brought by the Guantanamo detainee known as Abu Zubaydah.
MFIA is also representing Bonner in three FOIA cases seeking to access information relating to Abu Zubaydah:
