The Disappeared

TPM, along with its year-end 'Muck' review, is also starting a 'missing' info project. One of the most disturbing aspects of the Bush administration (and there are SO many disturbing aspects!) is its willingness to classify or unreport information, in particular, information that has always been reported before, even more particularly, if that information is in any way negative (most particularly, if that info is negative to or about the Administration itself(and to a lesser extent, conservative shiboleths). They were goosed into this (or at least inspired by Steve Benen at Carpetbagger). It's a good list they've started with. My Faves:

* In 2005, after a government report showed an increase in terrorism around the world, the administration announced it would stop publishing its annual report on international terrorism.

* When Bush’s Department of Education found that charter schools were underperforming, the administration said it would sharply cut back on the information it collects about charter schools.

* On November 1st, 2001, President Bush issued an executive order limiting the public's access to presidential records. The order undermined the 1978 Presidential Records Act, which required the release of those records after 12 years. Bush's order prevented the release of "68,000 pages of confidential communications between President Ronald Reagan and his advisers," some of whom had positions in the Bush Administration. More here. (Thanks to Roger A. and nitpicker below.) Update: TPMm Reader JP writes in to point out that Bush did the same thing with his papers from the Texas governorship.

* In March 2006, the Department of Health and Human Services took down a six-year-old Web site devoted to substance abuse and treatment information for gays and lesbians, after members of the conservative Family Research Council complained.

* In 2002, HHS removed information from its Web site pertaining to risky sexual behavior among adolescents, condom use and HIV.

* In October 2003, the Bush administration banned photographs depicting servicemembers' coffins returning from overseas.

* In 2006, the Federal Communications Commission ordered destroyed all copies of an unreleased 2004 draft report concluding that media consolidation hurt local TV news coverage, which runs counter to the administration's pro-consolidation stance. (Thanks to Jim Tobias below.)

* In February 2004, the appointed head of the Office of Special Counsel -- created to protect government employees' rights -- ordered removed from a government Web site information on the rights of gay men, lesbians and bisexuals in the public workplace. (via the National Council for Research on Women)

This is just a scattered selection, go see the rest!