Judicial Watch Sues State Dept. Over Edited Press Video About Iranian Nuke Deal

(CNSNews.com) – Judicial Watch filed alawsuit against the State Department Thursday for the release of records related to an edited video of a press briefing regarding the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran.

Under the Freedom of Information Act(FOIA), the conservative watchdog group asked for documents relating to “the decision by State Department officials to delete from the State Department website and YouTube channel a December 3, 2015 exchange between Fox News reporter James Rosen and State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki regarding Iranian nuclear negotiations.”

In the Dec. 2, 2013 State Department press briefing, Rosen pressed Psaki on the department's earlier denial that secret talks between Washington and Tehran were held.

“Is it the policy of the State Department where the preservation of the secrecy of secret negotiations are concerned to lie in order to achieve that goal?” Rosenasked at one point during the briefing.

“James, there are times when diplomacy needs privacy in order to progress. This is a good example of that,” Psaki replied.

However, eight minutes of the video, including that exchange, were deleted from the State Department's video archive and YouTube channel, where it was replaced with a white flash.

The State Department’s official transcript of the press briefing did contain the full exchange either.

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