November 1, 2013
The Honorable Royce C. Lamberth
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
333 Constitution Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
Dear Senior Judge Lamberth:
We are writing on behalf of the American Historical Association to express our support for Luke Nichter’s petition to unseal the grand jury records pertaining to U.S. v. Liddy (case number 1:12-mc-00074-RCL).
We appreciate the court’s previous rulings, including the November 2, 2012 decision directing the government to unseal 36 folders of documents totaling approximately 950 pages and the subsequent court order and memorandum opinion of May 13, 2013 unsealing 75 pages of new documents.
We hope that you will continue to favor transparency in considering the matters that remain before the court, including unsealing additional grand jury records and unsealing Watergate-related national security records in the possession of the court.
A compelling case can be made for the historical significance of these records. The American Historical Association has long advocated the principles of transparency and access to government records. Historians have a professional interest in open access to, and public discussion of, the historical record. Beyond that professional interest, we believe that enhancing the quality of the history that scholars can produce by allowing them access to crucial materials ultimately enhances the quality of democratic deliberations and decision-making. We therefore believe that the historical interest in the requested records outweighs any remaining privacy or national security interest in continued secrecy concerning events of forty years ago, especially as the National Archives and Records Administration will review all documents prior to release.
The American Historical Association is a nonprofit membership organization founded in 1884 and incorporated by the United States Congress in 1889 for the promotion of historical studies and the dissemination of historical research. As a disciplinary association representing over 15,000 historians, the American Historical Association is committed to openness and public access to government records, in accordance with a free and democratic society.
Respectfully,
Kenneth Pomeranz
President
James Grossman
Executive Director