Los Angeles Times:  One of the most disappointing attributes of the Obama administration has been its proclivity for secrecy.  The president, who committed himself to "an unprecedented level of openness in government" has followed the example of his predecessor by invoking the "states secrets" privilege to derail litigation about government misdeeds in the war on terror.  He has refused to release the administration's secret interpretation of the Patriot Act, which two senators have described as alarming.  He has blocked the dissemination of photographs documenting the abuse of prisoners by US service members.  And now his Justice Department has proposed to allow government agencies to lie about the existence of documents being sought under the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA.  At present, if the government doesn't want to admit the existence of a document it believes to be exempt from FOIA, it may advise the person making the request that it can neither confirm nor deny the document's existence.  Under the proposed regulation, an agency that withholds a document "will respond to the request as if the excluded records did not exist.  

Commentary:  Here is another example of presidential candidates lying to the citizens of the US to get elected, then turning right around and doing just the opposite once they are in office.  "God hates these six things; seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a false witness who tells lies, and he who sows discord among the brethren" Psalms 6:16-19.