When Kris Kristofferson is cited as a legal authority or even a person we should take seriously on points of law it makes me want to dig into my attic for some old tie dye shirts.

-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Schildmeyer, Greg
Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2005 9:58 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: A New Archivist of the US


*****
Steven Whitaker wrote:
Regarding Carlin, he was a professional politician and had been a Governor
before being appointed as Archivist.  He is resigning.  Whatever motivated
him to resign is his business; but the fact is that he tendered his
resignation.

And Bruce White wrote:
Carlin has been in the position for 10 years.  He's resigned; its time to
move on!
*****

Surely you remember the sequence of events, that Carlin submitted his
"voluntary" resignation after the papers carried the news of Bush's
selection of Weinstein to be the new Archivist.  The position wasn't vacant,
and Carlin had no intention to resign when he did - he was forced out.

Not debating the qualifications of either person, I agree fully with Rick
Barry's main point:  the law that established NARA as an independent agency
in 1985 was specifically designed to de-politicize the position of Archivist
of the United States.  The Archivist is supposed to have enough protection
under the law to be able to make tough professional decisions about access
to public records (particularly Presidential records) without fear of
removal.  The fact is that President Bush has circumvented the law by
removing Carlin as he has, and as far as we - the interested public - know,
no one in Congress has had the courage or integrity to hold him accountable
by insisting he provide a written explanation.

To quote Kris Kristofferson, "The law is for protection of the people..."

Greg Schildmeyer, CRM
Director of Records Management
State of Missouri

Disclaimer:  These views and opinions are mine, and are not intended to
reflect in any way the views of my employer.

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