Falwell sues White House, FBI over files

WASHINGTON — In a lawsuit filed last week against the White House and the FBI, religious broadcaster Jerry Falwell claims he was denied access to information about him contained in a “secret” Justice Department database about religious and antiabortion leaders.

In the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Falwell claims the information about him is used for smear tactics. He said he tried to use the Freedom of Information Act to gain access to the database last summer after learning of its existence from the conservative Washington group Judicial Watch.

Falwell contends that restricting his access to the information about him violates the Privacy Act, which declares the government cannot keep a file on an individual without a lawful reason.

But that’s not necessarily the case, according to Meredith E. Cabe, an associate counsel to President Clinton, the Associated Press reported  Jan. 25.

“FOIA does not establish a statutory right to the records Falwell has requested from the White House, if such records exist,” she wrote in a letter responding to Falwell’s request.