State Secrets Privilege

If the government determines a document to be secret, then you cannot bring action against the government even if you know what the document says. If it's secret, then the government contends you can't do anything. This is the government's argument before the 9th Circuit Court.

It's a case that was brought against the government. The government had accidentally released a top secret document to the plaintiffs. The document proved that the government had been spying upon the plaintiffs. But, since the document has been coded as top secret, then no case can be brought against the government even if everyone knows what the document says.

So, if they're allowed to do such things, any acts by the government that are illegal or embarrassing could just be made top secret to cover it up. Call it national security and no one can touch it.

Unchecked power usually doesn't have good boundaries. I sure hope that we have some extraordinarily trustworthy people in the executive branch of the government.