QUICKLINK District of Columbia · October 28, 2008 · Freedom of information
Reporter sues over access to McCain vehicle crash records
Keywords: presidential campaign; Presidential candidates
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Vanity Fair magazine and the National Security News Service filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit in federal court earlier this month seeking records related to a 1964 vehicle accident involving then-Navy Lt. John McCain.
According to the complaint, filed Oct. 16 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, National Security News Service reporter Christopher Law, who is also working with Vanity Fair for this story, requested duty logs from July 24 and 25, 1964 at Portsmouth Naval Hospital. Those logs would indicate whether McCain, now the Republican presidential candidate, was a patient there.
“Plaintiffs and Vanity Fair have developed from first-hand sources information indicating that Lt. McCain was involved in an automobile accident on Hampton Boulevard outside the main gate of the Naval Base at Norfolk, VA in July 1964,” the complaint said.
“Plaintiffs’ investigation has disclosed that responding civilian law enforcement officers recall the accident, that another person was injured, and that a Naval officer dispatched a messenger to take a change of clothing to Lt. McCain at Portsmouth Naval Hospital,” it continued.
According to the Huffington Post, the news groups are looking into whether the other person died of his or her injuries.
The Navy denied Law’s FOIA request on privacy grounds, prompting Law to file the lawsuit.
— Hannah Bergman, 4:12 pm
Comments: (4)
Comment by Sue Deaunym, Tue, Oct 28, 2008, 9:28pm
My (probably) stupid question: If the wreck happened on Hampton Blvd. in Norfolk OUTSIDE the base entrance, wouldn't the jurisdiction have been the city's? So, wouldn't one find police reports and Virginian Pilot newspaper articles? (Unless the admiral wiped those clean, too.)
Comment by Steve the painter, Wed, Oct 29, 2008, 3:46am
If this was true, all McCain would have had to was switch parties. Dems LOVE to support drunk drivers who kill people and then run. Throw in an underage boy or girl and you have the perfect Dem candidate!
Comment by Larry, Wed, Oct 29, 2008, 7:30am
Wait, wait. Let me get this straight. The entire press brothel establishment did eveything in their power to block access to John Kerry’s Navy records in 2004. The same PC whores are now screaming that they must have access to McCain’s medical records from 1964? LOL! LOL! LOL!
Comment by Proof_Right_here, Fri, Oct 31, 2008, 3:46am
In the article it says that in response the FOIA that
...
"The Navy acknowledged receipt of the request and advised that it had located the relevant information a few weeks later"
Located the relevant information ?
While I dont have a copy of that FOIA referenced in the article, I do know that in the legal filings ....( I suggest that you download and read the document for yourself)
http://www.courthousenews.com/2008/10/20/McCainAccident.pdf
...it states "Based on Plantiff's investigation, including information provided by civilian law enforcement personel"
So someone from a police department, sheriff's office, or some officer of a court in that area, has provided at least some evidence that this event did occur.
One note about the term "assignment of Navy personnel" contained in the FOIA request, as expressed in the legal filing "Navy records listing assignments of Navy personnel to Portsmouth Naval Hospital".
A Navy man myself at that time, I know exactly what the term means. It means that John McCain was admitted. Reassigned from his duty station. Literally transfered (reassigned ) to the hospital.
The fact that the Navy had located the relevant information, means that there are medical records showing that John McCain was admitted to the hospital that day.
More proof ? Deputy Assistant Judge Advocate General G.E. Lattin wrote "The patient admission record logs that you seek are exempt from release,"
Proof ?
You betcha
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