The Headlines
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FOIA Backlog Down, But Agencies Missed Opportunity for Major Breakthrough
A just completed study by the Coalition of Journalists for Open Government shows that federal departments and agencies made little progress in responding to Freedom of Information Act requests, despite a two-year-old presidential directive to improve service. The report, “An Opportunity Lost”, says agencies cut staff and FOIA spending in 2007 and as a result failed to take advantage of a sharp fall off in FOIA requests to make significant reductions in the backlog of unprocessed requests. (7/3/08)
Federal Judge Says President Can't Authorize Surveillance Without FISA
The chief federal judge for Northern California rejected a government claim that the president’s constitutional authority as commander in chief trumps the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which limits government surveillance of citizens. Judge Vaughn R. Walker, who is hearing more than 40 consolidated cases involving the secret surveillance authorized by President Bush, said FISA was the “exclusive” means under which federal agencies could eavesdrop on Americans. (7/3/08)
Sen. Leahy Pushes for FOIA Ombudsman Funding
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT, noted the 42nd anniversary of the Freedom of Information Act in a speech on the Senate floor, urging colleagues to move forward with funding for an FOIA ombudsman called for in the OPEN Government Act that passed Congress and was signed by the President last December. “Establishing a fully funded OGIS is essential to
reversing the troubling trend of the last 7 years towards lax FOIA
compliance and excessive Government secrecy, “ he said. (6/27/08)
42 State AGs Back Federal Reporter-Source Shield Bill
Attorneys general from 41 states have signed a letter to Senate leaders supporting a media-source shield bill. The AGs said in the letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell that existing state laws “advance a public policy favoring the free flow of information to the public” by affording “some degree of protection against compelled disclosure of a reporter’s confidential sources.” Texas AG Greg Abbott sent a separate letter. The bill has passed the Senate Judiciary Committee. (6/20/08)
House Approves Bill to Make Advisory Committees More Transparent
The House passed a bill (HR 5687) to strengthen the disclosure provisions required of federal advisory committees. The bill was introduced by Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-MO, and Rep. Henry Waxman, D-CA. Itl requires committees to disclose whith whom they meet and the recommendations they receive from special interests. (6/25/08)
Judge Rules for NSA Secrecy in Guntanamo Detainee Case
A federal district judge in Manhattan ruled that the National Security Agency does not have to tell lawyers for Guantanamo Bay detainees whether or not it wiretapped their telephones because either confirming or denying the surveillance would reveal national security information. U.S. District Judge Denise Cote said the intelligence agency cannot be required to disclose information about its surveillance programs. (6/26/08)
Sen. Leahy Pushes for FOIA Ombudsman Funding
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT, noted the 42nd anniversary of the Freedom of Information Act in a speech on the Senate floor, urging colleagues to move forward with funding for an FOIA ombudsman called for in the OPEN Government Act that passed Congress and was signed by the President last December. “Establishing a fully funded OGIS is essential to
reversing the troubling trend of the last 7 years towards lax FOIA
compliance and excessive Government secrecy, “ he said. (6/27/08)
Classification Rate Hits 23 Million; Costs Rise to $9.9 Billion
The pace of government secrecy picked up in 2007 as federal agencies made 23.1 million decisions to classify information, up from 20.5 in 2006 and 14.2 million in 2005, the Information Security Oversight Office reported. At the same time declassification fell from 37.6 million pages in 2006 to 37.2 million pages last year. And the cost of classification for government and industry rose to $9.9 billion. (6/19/08)
Rep. Harman FIles "Improving Public Access to Documents" Bill
Rep. Jane Harman, D-CA, has filed a bill titled the “Improving Public Access to Documents Act” but Secrecy News questions whether it will live up to its title in making the new class of “Controlled Unclassified Information” available. The bill directs the secretary of Homeland Security to develop policies to implement the CUI framework, a task the administration has given to a new and still unfunded office at the Archives. (6/9/08)
President Gives National Intelligence Director New Classification Authority
President Bush signed an executive order giving the director of national intelligence oversight of security clearance investigations and related policies on access to classified information. The order gives the DNI new authority in areas unrelated to intelligence information. (7/1/08)
Despite Flooding, Corps of Engineers Withholds Dam Safety Information
At least a dozen news organizations seeking information on dam inspections and safety in the wake of Midwestern flooding have been denied the information by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, citing the U.S. Patriot Act. The Investigative Reporters and Editors say the denials have been consistent since 2002. "The public interest in being updated on the condition of these dams outweighs the security concerns about giving out the information," said IRE Executive Director Mark Horvit. (6/26/08)
Homeland Security Seeks Public Comment on Infrastructure Protection Plan
The Department of Homeland Security is seeking public comment on how to best revise the National Infrastructure Protection Plan, its framework for protecting critical infrastructure from terrorist attack or natural disaster. The last review of NIPP in 2006 drew 10,000 responses. (6/23/08)
Pentagon's "Black" Budget Put at $34 Billion for 2009
The Pentagon’s fiscal 2009 budget request includes $34 billion for classified, or “black,” programs, according to the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. The money will go to secret military hardware but does not include any war-related funding. (6/23/08)
Agriculture Department Pulls an End Run to Seal Animal ID Records
First, The Agriculture Department pressed for statutory closure of records of its National Animal Identification System, urging a provision in the massive farm appropriations bill that would keep secret the names and addresses of feedlot operators. When that section was lsubsequently pulled at the urging of open government advocates, the department called an end run. It has adopted a new regulation certifying those records under the Privacy Act, mandating they be withheld from the public. Deadline for comment is May 30. (5-8/08)
Department of Energy Backs Declassification Board Proposals
The Department of Energy endorsed most of the specific recommendations of the Public Interest Declassification Board and said it supported creation of a National Declassification Center to coordinate programs and speed the declassification process. It also endorsed a proposal for a declassification database that would be available to the public. (6/6/08)
Barn Door Closer Hidden in Farm Bill
The massive farm appropriations bill approved by Congress, vetoed by the President, then overridden, contains an anti-FOIA amendment inserted anonymously in the closing days of the bill’s conference committee visit. It prohibits the Agriculture Department from disclosing information provided by agricultural producer or owners about farm operations. The provision overrides a February court decision that called on the department to release the information. (5/27/08)
Defense Bill Calls for Inspector General Probe of TV Analyst Briefings
One version of the Defense Authorization bill headed for conference committee action directs the inspector general and the General Accounting Office to investigate the Pentagon’s special briefing program for former military officers serving as television analysts on the Iraq war. The Pentagon suspended the program after it was reported by the New York Times after a two-year legal battle to get the records. (5/29/08)
Resolution Filed to Post House Votes on Internet
Rep Melissa Bean, D-IL, filed a resolution (H Res 1222) calling on the clerk to post all recorded votes in the House on the Internet. Each member who maintains a website would be required to provide a link to the clerk’s site. (5/27/08)
Delaware Legislators Adjourn; No Sunshine in Sight
Delaware lawmakers adjourned their 2008 session without taking any action on several bills designed to open closed door meetings. The key proposal would have made the legislature subject to the state’s Freedom of Information Act. (7/1/08)
Georgia High Court Gives Police Investigations a Long Shelf Life
In a 4-3 decision, Georgia’s Supreme Court ruled that police can deny media requests for records of “pending investigations” even in cases where the case has continued for more than a decade and there is little evidence of current police work. The court called it a “hard fact of law enforcement” that some cases remain unsolved for long periods of time. It said records should be open only when “all direct litigation” involving both investigation and prosecution is final. (7/1/08)
FOI Request and Report Prompts Buffalo to Cut Employee Take Home Cars
In the wake of a Buffalo News report on the 85 city employees who take home city cars each night, the mayor has decided to cut home use of cares back by 41 percent. The News had to file a Freedom of Information Law request to get the information. It took two months. In announcing the cutback, Mayor Byron W. Brown cautioned the remaining 50 employees not to use city cars for personal business. (7/3/08)
NC Legislators Meet Privately on Budget Despite Transparency Pledge
North Carolinas legislative leaders, having promised to open their budget negotiation talks, met privately and refused entry to a Raleigh News & Observer reporter who sought to attend the meeting. Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand said the purpose of the meeting was to get a staff report, not to negotiate. (6/27/08)
Release 911 Tapes in Trooper's Murder, NC Judge Directs
A Superior Court judge in North Carolina ruled that police in Waynesville should release 911 calls made about the shooting death of a highway patrol trooper. Judge Mark Powell said he could see no basis for the state’s claim that release of the information could jeopardize a fair trial. (6/27/08)
Public Access Records Counselor Says Muncie Violated Records Law
Indiana’s Public Access Counselor Heather Willis Neal said the city of Muncie’s reasons for denying access to a list streets scheduled for paving was “problematic.” She said in an opinion that the mayor and city attorney clearly violated the public records law and that the city’s controller probably did so. The city officials disagreed. (6/30/08)
Maryland State Police Ordered to Allow Review of Profiling Records
A Circuit Court judge in Baltimore ruled that the NAACP can review documents alleging racial profiling by the Maryland State Police. Judge Timothy J. Martin gave lawyers for the NAACP 120 days to review the records and said names of police and complainants would be redacted from any documents copied. (6/30/08)
Wisconsin High Court Says Records Law Does Not Require Database Access
State agencies and local governments in Wisconsin do not have to provide direct access to their electronic databases, the state’s Supreme Court ruled. Three municipalities had declined access to their databases of real estate records and provided only PDFs of the records sought. The court said that was okay; the law required only that the records be in an “appropriate format.” (6/26/08)
California Legislature Closes Loophole in Public Records Law
The California legislature approved a bill that prohibits state and local agencies from entering into any agreement with a private entity to keep public records secret. The bill was filed by Sen. Leland Yee after the University of California at San Francisco withheld a financial review based on objections from the accounting firm that conducted the study. (6/24/08)
Federal Judge Tells California Prison Crowding Data Is Public
A federal magistrate rejected an effort by California’s prisons department to limit the amount of information on the state’s overcrowded prisons may be made public at a hearing on whether to cap the prison population. Judge John Moulds said only documents that clearly would jeopardize prison security if they were made public should remain secret. (6/23/08)
Judge Orders E-Mails on Council Members' Home Computers Retrieved
A circuit judge in Venice, Florida ordered three city council members to let a computer expert retrieve government-business e-mails from their home computers. The e-mails are at the core of a suit alleging the council members violated the state’s open meetings law. Judge Robert Bennett said he was concerned that the records could otherwise be lost. (6/19/08)
Tennessee Governor Signs Bill Setting Records Response Time Limits
Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen signed a new open records law that for the first time sets a deadline for response to public records requests. The law gives records custodians seven days to respond or explain why they need more time. The old state law had no time limit. The new law also gives the state’s open records ombudsman some specific duties, including setting a fee structure for extensive records requests. (6/20/08)
Seattle Officials Move to Improve Service to Records Requesters
Seattle city officials, stung by a state audit that showed its compliance with the public records law was poor, are making some constructive changes to make things easier for requesters. Under the changes, citizens can now get some records without filing a formal request and they will no longer have to resubmit requests filed with the wrong agency. Also, the city will make as many records as possible available electronically, cutting copying costs. (6/9/08).
NJ Governor Ordered to Release E-Mails Corresponce with Ex-Girlfriend
A New Jersey judge ruled that Gov. Jon Corzine must release e-mail correspondence with Carla Katz, his ex-girlfriend and leader of the state employees union. However the attorney general’s office said the ruling of Superior Court Judge Paul Innes would be appealed. "The publichas a right to know whether the relationship between the governor and Ms. Katz had any improper influence on the governor's paramount obligation to serve the interest of the citizens of New Jersey first,” the judge said.
New Mexico AG: No Penalty Under Law For Destroying E-mail Records
The Attorney General’s Office in New Mexico said state law provides no punishment for officials who do not retain state records as required by law. The issue came up when the Santa Fe New Mexican requested Public Service Commission e-mails that, in turns out, had been destroyed. (6/2/08)
New Jersey League of Municipalities Records Sought as Public
A Superior Court judge in New Jersey has directed the state’s League of Municipalities, the lobbying unit for the 566 municipal governments, to explain why it should not be subject to New Jersey’s open records law. An activist group has filed suit contending the League is taxpayer funded and arguing its records in opposition to affordable housing regulations should be public. League Director William Dressel called the suit “frivolous.”
(6/3/08)
SC Supreme Court Won't Step into Manager-Councilwoman Records Dispute
South Carolina’s Supreme Court held that an councilwoman is not entitled to release of Anderson County records the manager refused to provide her, saying it was disinclined to step into the four year “internal dispute” between the council woman and the county manager. A lower court had also ruled councilwoman Cindy Wilson was not entitled to the records. (6/3/08)
Iowa AG Releases Records in Elderly Abuse Cases
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller overruled the state’s Workforce Development agency and said the names of people fired from elder care facilities fired for abuse should be made public. The agency had begun refusing access to the records last August. (6/3/08)
Texas Sued over Police Reporting Form that Excludes Victim's Phone Numbers
A chiropractor and a the Texas Weekly Advocate, a “publisher of accident information,” have sued the state of Texas over a new accident reporting form that no longer requires the listing of the victim’s phone number. They claim this denies them the ability to contact victims to ”inform them of their rights to health care treatment..” (6/3/08)
Texas Governor Free to Delete E-mails after One Week
The district attorney in Travis County won’t try to injoin Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s office from deleting e-mails after seven days, it’s current practice. The request came from the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. The office has been following a policy of printing out all em-amis dealing with government business and deleting all others after a week. (6/3/08)
New York Legislature Speeds Access to Some Records
The New York Legislature approved a bill requiring that public records related to subjects that may be discussed at an open meeting be available to the public at least 72 hours before the meeting. Another measure, directing agencies to take public access to information into account in designing new information systems, passed the Senate and is expected to pass the Assembly. (6/4/08).
Rhode Island Island Legislature Okays Quicker Records Access
The Rhode Island legislature approved a bill that will speed the release of records by cutting the time given agencies to respond to a request from 10 to 7 days. It also prohibits agencies from requiring requesters to state the reason they are seeking a record. The law provides a shorter deadline – 24 hours – for basic crime reports but police would have seven days to provide the narrative sections of the reports. (6/23/08)
Louisiana Senate Committee Sinks Expanded Open Records Law
A Louisiana Senate Committee scuttled legislation designed to open records in the governor’s office and some 60 state agencies that fall under the administration of his office. The vote was 3-2 with Chairman Robert Kostelka breaking the tie and noting that “our forefathers wrote the Constitution in secret.” (6/6/08)
Kentucky Governor Establishes Open Records Task Force
Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear created a task force to recommend ways to make state government more open. In making the announcement, he said he wants the group to suggest ways to create “one-stop” access that will let Kentuckians easily track state spending and programs. The task force will include representatives from state government and civic organizations. (6/6/08)
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Admits Overcharging for Records -- for 20 Years
The legal council for the Jacksonville, FL, sheriff’s office acknowledged that it had been overcharging for records for a almost 20 years because it assumed a city ordinance preempted state law. The overcharge came to light when the city proposed to double the current charge from $3 to $6 for arrest and booking reports, accident reports and general offence reports. State law puts the charge at 20 cents for each two sided page. (6/6/08)
Felons Rights to Public Records Challenged by Washington AG
Washington’s Attorney General Rob McKenna said that felons who have not had their civil rights restored should not have the right to public records guaranteed citizens. In a brief filed in the case of a prison inmate seeking information on judges, lawyers and corrections officers involved with his imprisonment, McKenna said the granted citizens under the Public Records Act are “fundamentally inconsistent with the objectives, needs and realities of the prison system and the legal status of inmates.” (6/9/08)
NC Legislator Proposes Attorney Fee Recovery, Open Government Office
A North Carolina state senator has filed a bill that would require judges to award legal fees to persons who successfully sue the state to obtain public records. The bill, sponsored by State Sen. David Hoyle, would also create an Open Government Unit in the Office of the Attorney General, who supports the legislation. (5/29/08)
Denver Sued for Records on Convention Security Purchases
The city of Denver was sued by the ACLU for refusing to release information on the kind of equipment police have purchased in preparation for the Democratic Convention in August. Denver said release of the information “could potentially disclose tactical security information” but the ACLU said the public has a right to know how the $18 million the city received from a federal grant will be spent and that any tactical information could be redacted. . (5/29/08)
New Jersey Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Posting Records Online
The New Jersey Supreme Court listened to a range of constituencies as it sought to reach some conclusion on a proposed expansion of access to court records by putting them online. The expansion was recommended by a commission after a two year study John Paone, Jr., representing the Middlesex County Bar Association cautioned, "There is a fundamental difference between having records open to the public and actively publishing these records." (5/29/08)
Albany DA Refuses Request for Transcripts of Spitzer Testimony
Albany County District Attorney David Soares has refused to turn over to the New York Post transcripts of testimony in an investigation of the fired state police superintendent and a aide to Gov. Eliot Spitzer, despite a binding ruling by the county’s public information appeals officer and a finding by the state’s Open Government Committee director. Soares' office denied the information request, claiming the records couldn't be disclosed because they were part of a law-enforcement investigation. (6/2/08)
Missouri Judge Rejects Fee Hikes for Driver, Vehicle Records
A county judge in Missouri ruled that fee increases for obtaining driver and motor vehicle records are invalid. Several data mining companies that regularly purchase such records sued when the state raised the charge from $1.25 to 7 and wiped out bulk discounts. Judge Richard Callahan ruled the documents are public record and that under the law the state can charge only the cost of copying. (6/2/08)
California AG Clarifies Law on Release of Police Officer Names
California Attorney General Jerry Brown said the public has a right to know the names of police officers involved in critical incidents, including those that involve the use of lethal force. Many law enforcement agencies had declined to release names of officers since a 2006 court ruling that held that confidential information could be withheld. However Brown said there is nothing confidential in “a statement of fact that the named officers were involved in the incident.” (5/26/08)
Arizona Town Told to Release Report on Local Utility It Is Eyeing
An Arizona Superior Court judge directed the town of Florence must make public a taxpayer funded study and other records it has on a private utility it is considering purchasing. The East Valley Tribune sued for the information, contending any confidentiality agreement reached by the town and the utility is not valid under the public records law. (5/29/08)
Florida Legislature Wraps Up a Very Sunny Session
Florida’s Legislature approved only three minor open records exemptions in its just completed its 2008 session, the lowest number in years. The state’s First Amendment Foundation largely credited Gov. Charlie Crist who “sent a clear message” on open government to lawmakers. Florida’s constitution requires a specific exemption approved by two-thirds of the leigslature to deny public access to a public record. (5/26/08)
Maine Officials Now Required To Be Tested on Records Law
Under new Maine law, all elected officials in the state must certify that they have not only reviewed but been tested on the state’s Freedom of Access Act. They have until Nov. 1 to complete the training. An online tutorial is available. (5/26/08)
AG's Investigators Sue Missouri Governor Over E-Mail Destruction
An investigative team set up by Missouri’s attorney general has alleged in a law suit that aides to Gov. Matt Blunt top aides ordered other state employees to destroy copies of government e-mails in violation of the public records law. The suit says the effort to destroy the records failed because two supervisors in the Office of Administration refused to follow the directive. A spokesman for Gov. Blunt, noting Attorney General Jay Nixon plans to run for governor next year, said the suit was “politically motivated..” (5/6/08)
Fighting County Hall Does Have Its Awards
An Idaho businessman who took his county to court in a dispute over fees it wanted to charge for providing the e-mails of officials has been awarded the Idaho Newspaper Foundation’s Max Dalton Open Government Award. Curtis Massood paid the first bill he got from Ada County, but sued when the second bill – for $164,700 – arrived. (5/13/08)
Arizone AG Orders Sunrise City Council to Let the Sun Shine In
Arizona’s Attorney General, completing a year long investigation, criticized the Sunrise City Council for repeatedly violating the state’s Open Meeting Law and threatened legal penalties if the city fails to hire a compliance officer for the next year to make sure residents have total access to the city’s decision making process. (6/23/08)
Justice Sued Over Records on Mobile Phone Location Tracking
A year ago, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation asked the Justice Department for records on the tracking of individuals by using their cell phones as homing beacons. Now, lacking a response, the two NGOs have filed suit under the Freedom of Information Act. They hope the records will shed some light on the prevalence of such requests, and on the extent of judicial scrutiny to which they are subject. (7/3/08)
Judge Upholds Anti-Terrorist Advisory Board Secrecy
A federal judge in Washington ruled that a government commission charged with advising the president on ways to prevent terrorist attacks does not have to disclose records of its meetings. The Center for Arms Control and Non-Prolifteration had challenged the records denial by the Commission on Intelligence Capabilities, created by President Bush in 2004. (7/1/8)
ACLU Sues Homeland Security Over Withholding of Detainee Records
The ACLU filed a FOIA suit against the Department of Homeland Security saying its Immigration and Customs Enforcement service had not responded for more than a year to a request for information on detainees who have died in custody. It estimates there have been at least 69 such deaths, which it believes are the result of poor health care at the correctional facilities where they are being held. (7/1/08)
The Story of a Lie That Led to the State Secrets Doctrine
A new book by former Los Angeles Times reporter Barry Siegel explores the half-century old case of U.S. v Reynolds, which gave rise to the state secrets privilege that is now being asserted by the government to avoid litigation over warrantless electronic surveillance. The government national security claim in the 1953 was accepted by the court in an “act of faith” but was later shown to be a lie. (6/23/08)
Supreme Court Weighs a One-Strike Rule on FOIA Requests
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on whether a Freedom of Information Act request can be refused simply because an identical request has been unsuccessfully litigated, particularly if the requesters are associated in some way. The court in its questioning seemed to have doubts about the Federal Aviation Agency’s refusal to consider a request for records on a rare aircraft because it had denied and then litigated a similar request from a client of the requester. (4/16/08)
White House Argues Separation of Powers in Visitor Logs Case
In its continuing effort to keep White House visitor logs confidential, the administration contended in federal appellate arguments that the White House is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act and the “separation of powers” doctrine precludes either the courts or Congress from doing anything to change that. Government lawyers argue the president and vice president must be able to solicit advice privately. They said a public interest group’s request for Secret Service records at the White House was an end-around that should not be sanctioned by the court. (4/21/08)
Montana Federal Judge Applies FOIA Legal Fee Recovery Retroactively
A federal judge in Montana ruled that anyone who prevails in a Freedom of Information Act suit can recover attorney fees under the statutory changes approved in a FOIA reform bill that Congress approved and the president signed last December. The government had argued that the recovery provisions did not encompass any suit filed before the new law was signed. Judge Donald Malloy said that would create a “manifest injustice.” (5/16/08)
Small Business Administration Directed to Release Contract Records
The Small Business Administration has been ordered by U.S. District Judge Marilyn H. Patel to reveal the businesses it has contracts with. The ruling is in response to a suit by the American Small Business League, which contents that many of the “small business” contracts actually went to Fortune 500 companies. (5/26/08)
Supreme Court Upholds Individual Right to Sue on FOIA Requests
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, said Freedom of Information Act requesters have a right to sue a federal agency for documents even if the courts had previously refused to overturn the agency’s rejection of an identical request by another party. The court said that denying an additional claim would preclude a litigant from having “his own day in court.” (6/19/08)
FOIA Produces Rehnquist, Scalia Memoranda on Vice President's Legal Status
Six months ago, the attorney general’s office said The Office of the Vice President is not an agency, and doesn’t have to respond to oversight on its handling of classified information. The AG’s office has now released, in response to a Freedom of Information Act request from the Federation of American Scientists, more than a dozen opinions written by the Office of Legal Counsel over the years on the vice president’s status, including views of former OLC staffers William H. Rehnquist and Antonin Scalia. (5/15/08)
Cunningham Trial: Now You See It, Now You Don't
A San Diego judge told lawyers in the corruption case involving Rep. Randy “Duke”Cunningham they must abide by an appeals court decision that requests to file secret documents be public. Then Judge Larry Burns released previously sealed papers on a sentencing delay. However the released document had much of the information, including the reason a delay was sought, redacted. (6/4/08)
Candidates and Open Government
Presidential Candidates on Open Government and Shield Law
The three presidential candidates all spoke on issues of freedom of information and government transparency when they appeared at the annual conference of the Newspaper Association of America and the American Society of Newspaper Editors, April 14 and 15. Sen. McCain announced he had “narrowly” decided to support a reporter-source shield bill. Sen. Clinton promised to “restore openness” in the federal government, among other things reversing the Ashcroft memo. Obama said he would work for transparency and accountability. (4/16/08).
NC Governor Candidates Respond to Open Government Questions
The Associated Press put three questions on open government to all eight candidates for governor in North Carolina. All responded. Two questions followed up on current e-mail controversies and whether as governor they would make their correspondence readily available. The third involved whether employee disciplinary records would be made public on request. (4/23/08)
Pledge of Openness Was Key to Victory, New Muskogee Mayor Says
John Tyler Hammons, the new mayor of Muskogee, Okla., says that what most resonated with voters – he picked up 70 percent of the vote – was his commitment to openness in government, keeping citizens better informed about city operations, and restoring trust. “I think that’s been a detriment,” said Hammons, who is a 19-year-old freshman at the University of Oklahoma. (5/15/08)
Obama Introduces New Transparency Bill; McCain a Co-Sponsor
Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain, the likely Democratic and Republican nominees for president, have co-introduced legislation that would provide the public more information on government spending. The bill, S-3077, builds on previous efforts of Obama and Sen. Tom Coburn, R-OK, another co-sponsor to provide web access to federal grand and contract information.
McCain Allows Press Into Top Ticket Fundraiser
Sen. John McCain reversed course and allowed reporters to attend a private fundraiser in Richmond, Va. The presumed Republican nominee has kept fundraising events off limits to the press for months without explanation. The event included a $10,000 reception and a $1,000 a ticket luncheon. (6/9/08)
Comparing the Candidates on Reversing Ashcroft FOIA Memo
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain have promised, if elected, to review the Freedom of Information Act policies established by the Bush Justice Department. Democrat Hillary Rodham said she will reverse the policy and replace it with one that pledges release of information unless disclosure will do harm. (3/27/08)
County Council Candidates Questioned on Access to Records
The Anderson Independent Mail asked candidates for the county council their view on access to budget information and other county records after one council member sued the administration over a delay in getting information. Others citizens have complained about the fees charged. Several incumbents said the administration is sufficiently open now but opponents called for greater access. (6/4/08)
YESTERDAY’S NEWS
