February 13, 2009 AUSA Personal Data on the Internet
AUSAs have voiced concerns about the availability of personal information for your employees being available through Internet websites. EOUSA has been working with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on this issue and effective January 15, 2009, OPM has agreed to protect such information for all employees of United States Attorneys’ Offices (USAO) under Exemption 6 in response to requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). In this way, OPM will handle FOIA requests in the same way that they handle requests for personal information on employees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, by redacting all identities, duty stations, and organizational components.
Unfortunately EOUSA has no authority to order these various Internet websites to cease displaying the current information they have on USAO employees, with this change in OPM’s response to FOIA requests, the information maintained by these websites will soon be out of date and inaccurate.
January 14, 2009 NAAUSA Endorses Kansas Legislation Permitting AUSAs to Carry Firearms
NAAUSA Vice President, Steve Cook and Washington Counsel, Bruce Moyer worked with Greg Hough USAKS and Randy Hendershot USAKS to write a letter in support of Kansas legislation to more broadly permit AUSAs to carry firearms.
October 8, 2008 DOJ Submits AUSA Security Report to Congress
On October 8, 2008 DOJ submitted the report of AUSA security required by P.L. 110-177.
NAAUSA Testifies at House Hearing on Courtroom Security
NAAUSA Vice President Steven H. Cook testified at the May 3, 2007 hearing before the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security, Committee on the Judiciary and urged Congress to improve security for AUSAs in addition to improving security for Judges. NAAUSA's testimony included many examples of threats and assualts against AUSAs.
Results of NAAUSA's AUSA Security Survey
• 1240 AUSAs completed the security survey, about 23 percent of all AUSAs.
• 67% of the completed surveys were from NAAUSA members; more than half the membership completed the survey.
• 45% of those completing the survey said they or a member of their immediate had been threatened or assaulted. This percentage varied widely based on how long the respondent had been an AUSA. The percentage threatened or assaulted by years of service and other categories follows:
- Less than 10 years 26.5%
- 10 or more years 53.4%
- 20 years or more 67.0%
- NAAUSA Members 50.0%
- Civil AUSAs 33.0%
• 57% of survey respondents said the secure parking should be provided for every AUSA carrying a high-vulnerability caseload regardless of the existence of pre-existing threat. This percentage was basically the same across the five groups listed above.
• 80% of survey respondents said that AUSAs who carry high vulnerability caseloads who demonstrated proficiency in the use of firearms should be authorized to carry a firearm if they choose to.
- Less than 10 years 80%
- 10 or more years 84%
- 20 or more years 70%
- NAAUSA members 82%
- Civil AUSAs 72%
• Question 1 allowed respondents to suggest other security improvements in addition to secure parking, home alarms, firearms deputization, or annual personal security training. Among the items suggested more than once were:
Protecting home address/phone records
Removing info from local property listings, drivers licenses, etc.
Requiring BOP to notify AUSA when inmates who have threatened the AUSA are
released
More courthouse security
Escort guards to accompany AUSAs to un-secure parking late at night
