Are Angela George and Sanjay Sola thwarting a FOIA request about Lt. Daniel Choi ?

Why won't the the US DOJ answer the FOIA Request about Lt. Dan Choi's arrest ?

I'm sharing with you an update on the freedom of information request sent to the U.S. Department of Justice.

On May 6, 2013, the DOJ received my FOIA request. The request sought information and records pertaining to serious questions of the government's prosecution of Lt. Daniel Choi. Since that time, the DOJ has denied my application for expedited processing, and it has delayed the production of any information and records. After several attempts to determine when the DOJ was going to answer the FOIA request, I have produced a YouTube video about the history of the request. I'm also asking you for your help.

Please send an e-mail to : angela.george@usdoj.gov or call : (202) 252-6038 and ask the DOJ to answer FOIA Request 13-1506.

What you can do :

• Kindly send an e-mail to Angela George, the prosecutor in Lt. Choi's case, at : Angela.George@usdoj.gov -- and ask her for her help to expedite the DOJ's response to the FOIA request. Please refer to the DOJ's FOIA Request No. 13-1506. - and/or -
• Kindly call Sanjay Sola at : (202) 252-6038 and ask him when the DOJ plans to answer to the FOIA request.

Prior to the government shutdown, it appeared that the DOJ was not going to provide any information or records in response to my request. Indeed, the Obama administration now has a track record of not answering FOIA requests.

See : Obama Administration Failing To Meet Transparency Pledge With FOIA Requests (Firedoglake)

There are several problems with the government's case against Lt. Choi. The most serious issue is that a judge ruled that there was enough evidence to show that the government was carrying out a "vindictive prosecution" against Lt. Choi.

The third day of the U.S. government's trial of former Lt. Dan Choi ended with a 10-day delay for the government to seek an order from a higher court stopping the decision made today by U.S. Magistrate Judge John Facciola to allow Choi's lawyers to argue the government singled out Choi for "vindictive prosecution."

Facciola said this morning that he had found there was prima facie evidence for "vindictive prosecution," meaning enough evidence was presented to allow Choi's lawyers to pursue such a claim. As a result, Choi's lawyers would be able to ask for more documents and evidence from the government in order to investigate if higher-level officials advised their subordinates to try Choi in federal court rather than district court.

See : Updated : Judge Allows Lt. Dan Choi's ''vindictive prosecution'' Defense (Daily Kos)

The mixed motivations of the government's case against Lt. Choi seem to follow a pattern of other federal prosecutions of activists. Examples of the government's questionable persecution of activists are mentioned in the YouTube video and are cited in the FOIA request.

Link to YouTube video : Why won't DOJ answer FOIA Request about Lt. Dan Choi ?

Link to FOIA request : Lt. Daniel Choi - Vindictive Prosecution DOJ FOIA Request (Scribd)

If you are able to e-mail the Hon. Madame Prosecutor or are able to speak with or leave a message for Mr. Sola, I would greatly appreciate it. Even if there is a government shutdown, your e-mail or voice-mail message can help us. Please let me know if you make contact with anybody.

2013-04-30 Lt Daniel Choi DOJ FOIA Request Louis Flores by Connaissable

• Lt. Dan Choi DADT Trial Update (March 28, 2013)
• Lt. Daniel Choi - Vindictive Prosecution DOJ FOIA Request (May 2, 2013)

Please share this video, the information, and the link. Thank you for any help you can provide.

Dan Choi DADT Petition

Tell President Obama : Don't Force Lt. Dan Choi and Other Gay Soldiers to Pay for their DADT Discharges

Lt. Dan Choi served his country with honor in Iraq as an American infantry officer in the U.S. Army. But in June 2010, Lt. Choi was officially discharged from the Army, after coming out as gay on an episode of the Rachel Maddow Show. Now, months after being discharged for violating the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, the Department of Defense wants to charge Lt. Choi more than $2,500, to make up the cost of "the unearned portion" of his enlistment bonus.

That's right, the Department of Defense wants Lt. Choi to pay the military back for unfinished service -- service that Lt. Choi was unable to complete because the military kicked him out for being gay.

Sign the Petition : Stand with Lt. Choi, and tell the President and the Department of Defense that charging gay soldiers for being discharged from the military is ruthless and wrong. While "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" might be headed for extinction, it's clear that the policy's negative impact continues to be felt by dedicated American soldiers and veterans.

First Day Marriage Equality in New York City - Connecting Rainbows Video

First Day of Marriage Equality in New York - Connecting Rainbows Video

The Westboro Baptist Church, an anti-LGBT hate group, organised a hate rally outside Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Manhattan office on Sunday, to protest the first day that same-sex couples can legally marry each other in New York state. Connecting Rainbows organised a counter-protest. Here is video of what it was like outside of the Manhattan marriage bureau -- and then later of the counter-protest.

Dan Choi Rips Obama Flyer

OP-ED : What to Do When the President Is Just Not That Into You

Lt. Dan Choi rips up Obama campaign flyer at NetRoots Nation conference : "I won't vote for Obama if he doesn't endorse marriage equality."

Lt. Choi was discharged under the military's oppressive "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, and he has since become a trailblazing LGBT civil rights activist. In the above YouTube video, Lt. Choi explains the dissatisfaction that the President's former progressive supporters now come to feel toward the President, as the President prepares for his reëlection campaign in 2012.

After an Obama campaign worker passed out campaign flyers to a panel at the NetRoots Nation conference, Lt. Choi was outraged when he learned that Obama's campaign is sending messages that do not support marriage equality. Said Lt. Choi to the Obama campaign representative : "... [D]on’t tell me that I’m a bad person, go tell [President Obama] that he should believe in my full equality -- and then report back."

Our so-called allies in Washington, like Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, don't want to fight for our full civil rights. That leaves people in the LGBT equality movement to fight for the runner-up cause, which is marriage equality. Marriage is a vehicle, which society uses to distribute rights. Until Sen. Gillibrand, or some of our other allies do something about our full civil rights, marriage equality is going to be what people are going to champion.

Marriage is a vehicle that society uses to distribute rights, privileges, property, services, public accommodations, and even respect. Until Congress adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, marriage equality is a stepping stone towards full civil equality.

Watch as Dan Pfeiffer, the White House Communications Director, denies that President Obama ever supported marriage equality, and Mr. Pfeiffer said that then candidate Obama didn't ''fill out'' a 1996 questionnaire, which the President signed ; watch as how Mr. Pfeiffer says that President Obama opposes marriage equality, then take a look at the simple, one-page questionnaire that is signed by President Obama.

1996-02-15 Obama Marriage Equality Questionnaire