AP Lawsuit

The AP, despite the Pentagon's attempt at the "oops" defense is not backing down on their lawsuit to gain access to Bush's National Guard records.

The Associated Press asked a federal judge Friday to order the Pentagon to quickly turn over a full copy of President Bush's military service record.....

..... "A significant, ongoing controversy exists over the president's military service during the Vietnam War, specifically whether he performed his required service between May and October 1972," lawyers for the AP wrote.

There also are allegations that potentially embarrassing material was removed from Bush's military file in 1997, when he was running for re-election as Texas governor, the AP said.

"The public has an intense and legitimate interest in knowing the facts concerning the president's military service. Reviewing the microfilm copy of the personnel file at the Texas Records center could well answer the questions that have been raised," the lawyers wrote......

.... AP first sought the Texas records in March, and sued the Pentagon in April over the allegedly slow response.

The Pentagon said in June that military payroll records that could more fully document Bush's whereabouts during his service in the Texas Air National Guard were inadvertently destroyed. And microfilm containing the pertinent National Guard payroll records was damaged and could not be salvaged, according to the Defense Department.

Don't back down, AP. Remember the sword in your hands.