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)
Labor Department Rushes Worker Safety Rule Change Without Public Notice
The Department of Labor – having ignored a requirement to give public notice of a regulatory change -- is rushing to push through a new rule that
Will make it tougher to regulate the on-the-job exposure by workers to chemicals and toxins. The proposed rule change only surfaced when the White House Office of Management and Budget posted a notice on its website that it was reviewing the proposal, identified only by its nine-word title. No text is available. (7/24/08)
Attorney General Reaffirms Opposition to Reporter-Source Shield Bill
Attorney General Michael Mukasey called the proposed reporter-source shield law a solution in search of a problem and reinforced the Justice Department’s strong opposition. He was challenged in his testimony to the House Judiciary Committee by Rep. Mike Pence, R-IN, the lead sponsor of the shield bill, who said it was a constitutional, statutory response to a rising erosion of our First Amendment freedom of the press. (7/24/08)
Judge Orders Reporter to Testify on Why Confidential Sources Are Critical
Federal Judge Cormac Carney, who has ordered Washington Times reporter William Gertz to testify at a spying trial in California about his sources in reporting on the case, saying the articles appeared to disclose secret grand jury information, has now directed him to appear for questioning on the “newsworthiness” of the case and “why maintaining the confidentiality of his sources is critical to his ability to engage in investigative reporting." (7/18/08)
Federal Appeals Court Says "Early Warning" Accident Data Must Be Released
The federal appeals court in Washington DC ruled that the government cannot withhold information on serious automobile accidents from the public. The decision came in a suit brought by Public Citizen against the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to force release of data reported to the agency by tire makers, car manufactures and motorcycle companies under the Early Warning law passed in 2000. (7/23/08)
White House Blocks House Committee's Effort to Get FBI Records
The White House is blocking an effort by the House Government Reform Committee to obtain FBI reports about the leaking of former CIA operative Valerie Plame’s name. The Administration said the interviews Vice President Richard Cheney and others in his office gave to agents was protected by executive privilege. The committee had issued a subpoena for the records to Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey. (7/18/08)
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)
GOP Senators Put Hold on Bill Forcing Disclosure of Presidential Library Donors
Republican senators are blocking Democrat efforts to pass a bill that would force the disclosure of donors to the libraries of all living presidents. The purpose may be delay, Pro Publica suggested, since the bill exempts any donations made before the bill’s passage. A spokesman for Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid said Republican senators have a hold on the bill. (7/18/08)
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)
Sen. Grassley Introduces Bill to Put Smithsonian Under FOIA
Sen. Charles Grassley, a longtime critic of the management of the Smithsonian Institution, has introduced a bill in the Senate to subject the Smithsonian to the federal Freedom of Information Act. The institution was created as a federal trust and exempted from FOIA by two appeals court rulings in the early 1990s. (7/24/08)
No Consistent Approach to Preserving E-mail Records, GAO Says
A Government Accountability Office report says that federal officials have failed to consistently preserve government e-mail, creating gaps in the public record and making it difficult for citizens to understand what their government is doing. As use of e-mails has increased, agencies have struggled with which e-mails to preserve, which to delete and how to store those saved. GAO said current law allows broad discretion and agency practices vary widely. (7/9/08)
Don't Restrict Sharing of Unclassified Research, Defense Department Urges
The Defense Department has told its various agencies not to impose security-related access restrictions on unclassified fundamental research. The directive is a response to concerns about restrictions that have been imposed since 9/11 on DoD funded university and private research, Secrecy News reports. (7/9/08)
Justice Department's Oversight Office Becomes Increasingly More Secretive
The Office of Professional Responsibility, charged with monitoring the conduct of Justice Department lawyers, has become increasingly more secretive. It is no longer issuing public reports now that it is looking into some of the most critical and controversial Justice actions, such as the policies developed on interrogation of suspected terrorists, the warrantless electronic surveillance program, and whether department lawyers have been involved in selective prosecution of Democratic officials. (7/7/08)
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)
Pennsylvania Treasurer Creates an E-Library for Contracts
Pennsylvania Treasurer Robin L. Wiessmann unveiled a new Contracts e-Library that provides Internet access to information on all government agreements. The new website is a response to the recently approved changes in the state’s public records law which says that all records, unless exempted, are public. The new law takes effect in January. (7/23/08)
New Jersey Court Upholds Deadline for Filing Public Records Suit
New Jersey’s Supreme Court held citizens to the 45-day window in state law for filing suit if turned down by a state or local agency on a request for public records. The court, noting that government agencies have only seven days to respond to a records request, said agencies are as entitled to citizens to have disputes resolved in a timely manner. The court also said agencies that do turn over records after being sued must pay all legal fees of the plaintiff.
(7/23/08)
House Speaker Says "No Time" for Revisions to North Carolina Records Law
North Carolina's Senate unanimously approved approved an amendment to the state’s open records law to provide for the automatic award legal fees to those who successfully sue for public records. The bill also creates a mediation unit in the attorney general’s office to try to resolve disputes short of court action. But the bill appears dead for this session because of opposition from House Speaker Joe Hackney who has said there is not enough time for it to be considered in that chamber. (7/18/08)
Montana Judge Calls City's Records Withholding "Disingenuous"
A Montana district judge ruled that the city of Great Falls improperly withheld records requested by an environmental group about the city’s relationship with a utility company, calling the city’s defense “disingenuous.” The documents sought included copies of contracts and financial agreements between the city and the utility. (7/18//08)
Virginia Tech Withholds Some of Records Related to 2007 Rampage
Virginia Tech is keeping secret some of the key material about the April 2007 killing rampage of Seung-Hui Cho even though it reached a settlement with victims’ families to make essential facts public, the Richmond Times Dispatch reported. The newspaper obtained some 20,000 pages through the Freedom of Information Act but said the university will not release notes of senior university leaders at an emergency meeting that morning nor a box of records related to Cho. (7/22/08)
Rhode Island Commission Seeks to Keep Judicial Nominating Letters Secret
Rhode Island’s Judicial Nominating Commission wants to keep confidential the letters it receives advocating for or against candidates for state judgeships. The commission asked Attorney General Patrick Lynch “to confirm” its interpretation of the state’s public records law. The commission has released such letters in the past but new chairman Stephen Caroltti refused a request from the Providence Journal. The full commission then agreed to seek an AG’s opinion. (7/22/08)
Alabama Introduces New System for Obtaining Background Checks
Alabama has developed a new electronic system to allow employers to make background checks on job applicants while keeping criminal records information normally available only to other law enforcement agencies secure. The Alabama Background Check system requires employers using the system to be registered and to obtain a signed waiver from the prospective employee. (7/23/08)
Hoboken Hospital Authority Violated Sunshine Laws, Judge Rules
A Superior Court judge rebuked the Hoboken Municipal Hospital Authority for its “pattern of conduct” in avoiding public meetings and records requirements in its efforts to gain underwriting for a $52 million medical center. The court ruled in a suit brought against the authority by city Councilwoman Beth Mason who said it had failed to provide proper notice, closed two meetings and then refused to provide records of the meetings. (7/18/08)
Minnesota Governor’s Paper Trail Is Quite Short
The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s administration is setting new records by not keeping very many. The administration saves far fewer papers than its predecessors, keeping only records of final decisions and failing to send any documents to the state archives in its five years. (7/7/08)
Pension Investment Records Become Increasingly Difficult to Access
Thirteen states now have secrecy laws closing off information to state pension fund performance information, Forbes reports. It said there is a growing trend to seal information on private equity fund performance, noting as an example that Virginia’s Retirement System manager recently asked staff to box and return all quarterly and annual reports received from fund managers. (7/7/08)
Rhode Island Governor Vetoes Bill Speeding Response to Records Requests
Rhode Island’s governor has vetoed legislation that would have required law enforcement agencies to release public records within 7 days of a request, saying the bill would “force our law-enforcement agencies to publicly release information that may compromise public safety.” He also said he was concerned about releasing the location where police arrests occurred. ACLU Executive Director Steven Brown said the veto “demonstrates a shocking indifference to the public’s right to know.” (7/7/08)
New Mexico Open Government Foundation Awarded Legal Fees in Records Dispute
The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government has been awarded $25,970 in legal fees for its two year battle with the state’s Taxation and Revenue Department. The foundation was working with a private investigator who sought information about properties with delinquent taxes. (7/18/08)
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).
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)
Judge Holds Back Release of Critical Grand Jury Testimony in A-Bomb Spy Case
A federal district judge in Manhattan authorized the release sought by historians to much of the secret grand jury testimony in the 1950s Rosenberg atomic bomb espionage case, but refused the request related to critical testimony of David Greenglass, the still-living brother of Ethel Rosenberg. Greenglass argued through his attorney that he had been given an “unequivocal and complete promise of secrecy.” (7/23/08)
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.
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
