On Sat, 24 Jan 2004 22:16:02 GMT, "Greg D. Moore \(Strider\)"
wrote:

Gag orders can only be issued by a court. NASA is part of the executive
branch.

Eerr, yes and no.

An employer can make confidentiality part of their employment contract.
There's things about my company I can't discuss in public. That's
effectively a gag order.

Err, yes and no.

Companies can restrict your speech just because they feel like it.
The government can't; that pesky First Amendment means that they have
to have a reason to keep a civil servant (or military member, come to
think of it) from discussing things publicly.

They can't even keep the civil servants from identifying themselves as
civil servants, although they can keep folks from claiming to speak
for the government or the agency. If the material isn't classified or
otherwise formally restricted, the troops can say whatever they want
without fear of official retribution. And they'll have a nice case
for grieving unofficial retribution.

Mary

--
Mary Shafer Retired aerospace research engineer