cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/38980667

Take a look at Congress’ long-shot attempt to force the release of the government’s records, led by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie. A seemingly innocuous word appears in the resolution: “unclassified.”

Screenshot of Epstein Files Transparency Act

It is an official word that in theory only exists when it comes to national security matters; that is, that the release of such information could cause “harm” to the national security. (There is, of course, a small chance that some FBI methods relating to intelligence collection might officially qualify as “classified” because the release might expose certain capabilities of the government, but even there, I’d argue that the public has a right to know.)

And yet somehow the word made its way into the Epstein Files Transparency Act.