DOJ Follies

DOJ Follies

by digby

Come on ...
The Justice Department is asking a secret federal court to let the government keep telephone records collected by the National Security Agency beyond a five-year limit, arguing that it has an obligation to retain evidence in lawsuits it is facing.

Data collected under the NSA's phone records programs are supposed to be destroyed within five years, but lawyers for the government are asking that the records be preserved longer for use as potential evidence in pending lawsuits. The Justice Department says it has a legal obligation to identify, locate and maintain information that may be used as evidence in those suits that might otherwise be destroyed.
So, if you file a lawsuit protesting the retention of record collection for five years it means they will have to retain them for more than five years due to the fact that they want to keep the records for five years and will draw out the litigation beyond five years?