Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, just a few words of welcome today. Im tom blanton. Im director of the National Security archive at George Washington university and honored to be one of the organizers of today. This is the day, 25 years ago, that president george h. W. Bush signed the nunnlugar legislation into law. Now, being document fetishists, we scanned the bush library for the photographs of that extraordinary moment, and none exist. There was not even a signing ceremony, which gives you a sense of the kind of mixed opinion inside the Bush Administration about this Congressional Initiative in Foreign Policy. But the judgment of history is in. The wall street journal called the nunnlugar legislation one of the most prescient pieces of legislation ever enacted. And today on the National Security archive website you can see the declassified documents showing the real danger of that time, the first ever declassified list of the 3,429 soviet Strategic Nuclear warheads that
Investigation or to personal privacy. Lbj was reluctant because every one has federal agencies thought this was a nightmare. You mean, people can be rummaging through our files . We cant do that. Bill moyers help the newspaper editors to marshal their argument about how we are in favor of open government. One of the fascinating things we found was that bill moyers had actually written a really nice signing statement for president johnson where there is this ringing language that springs from our most essential principles that democracy works best when the people know what their government is doing. They must have access to the policy rules. Government officials should not be able to pull curtains of secrecy. It is best in the light of day. What is great about that we now , know from lbjs own schedule that on the telephone, johnson called moyers and said cut that out. Come on. Moyer has to x through this ringing declaration of freedom information of information and puts in there, yes, i
[please stand by] each week, American History tvs american artifacts visits historic places. Coming up next, a visit to the National Security archive at George Washington university to learn about the history of the freedom of information act. Tom blanton Lyndon Johnson had to be, in the words of his press secretary, dragged kicking and screaming to sign the bill. Because the bill said, any person, not just a citizen, by a request and get out of the government any records the government held as long as they were not damaging to National Security or to a law
After round on the unsuspecting Police Station. In the exchange of gunfire, off duty and plainclothes detective. Kay colson was shot and killed by a fellow officer who according to the chief mistook him for the gunman. The bullet holes left behind are now memorialized inside the station. The idea was to not only acknowledge that we understand that this is the here, but to remind everybody that this is what we face on a daily basis. I feel their pain. I know. This will retired federal Police Officer says she had to come and had to add to the growing memorial for colson outside police headquarters. I figure instead of giving them fresh flowers, ill give them something that wont die, like the love theyre going to have for their son. Reporter today michael ford the alleged gun man was held without bond on seconddegree murder charges. His younger brothers, malik and elijah, who are accused of driving him to the Police Station and video recording the ambush are also being held on meanwhile,
Prime time tonight. At 7 00 p. M. Eastern, a look at the history of occultism and the desire of many to communicate with the dead following world war i. Fox newss greg gut field talks about techniques to make conservatives more progressive. The escape from north korea at the age of 13 and tonight at 10 00 p. M. Eastern on booktvs Author Interview program afterwards bill to prizewinning journalist reports on the big business of college football. And at 11 00, Gloria Steinem recalls her life and career. That all happens tonight on cspan2s booktv. As 2015 comes to a close many publications are offering their recommendations for the best books of the year. Heres a look at some of the book Washington Post suggests to its readers. The story of a russian whose spies for the americans during the cold war is recounted by David Hoffman in the billion dollars by. Lillian provides a history of gayrights in the gay revolution. In isis the state of terror Jessica Stern looks at origins and growth of