Sunshine Week 2008:
Freedom of Information Award recognizes bridge collapse coverage, pro se legal services
Silha Center's Jane Kirtley Envisions "The Light at the End of the Tunnel."
The people's right to know assumes a vast network of agencies and individuals committed to affirmation of that right. Recipients of the 2008 John R. Finnegan Freedom of Information Award reflect the many facets of information access. The Minnesota Coalition on Government Information (MnCOGI) will present this year's awards as a highlight of Freedom of Information and the kickoff of Sunshine Week 2008.
By any measure, the collapse of the 35W Bridge is the story of 2007 - covered by every news medium from every journalistic angle. Recipients of the FOI Award include several investigative journalists including Associated Press staffers Martiga Lohn and Brian Bakst and Star Tribune reporters Dan Browning, Kevin Diaz, Patrick Doyle, Mike Kaszuba and Paul McEnroe. All of these journalists have enhanced public understanding of the tragedy through their explicit use of the Freedom of Information Act and the Minnesota Data Practices Act to gain access to public information.
The Coalition will also confer two Honorable Mention Awards. An Honorable Mention Award will be given to Susan Albright, former Editorial Page Editor at the Star Tribune. Albright, now with MinnPost, is recognized for her articulate appreciation of the dependence of a free press on access to government information and for her consistent editorial support of the principles of open government.
Recipients of the second Honorable Mention Award are Susan Ledray and Katrina Zabinski, coordinators of the innovative "Self Help Center" (SHC) in Minnesota's Fourth Judicial District. As designers of the SHC Ledray and Zabinski explicitly used government information to both define and meet the needs of a targeted population. The nomination document notes that the SHC serves "thousands of pro se litigants in Minnesota to move through court more efficiently, more effectively and more informed." In the words of Judge Edward Lynch, the SHC "provides information, resources and assistance to thousands of litigants representing themselves in court proceedings." The Self Help Center is now available in all Minnesota counties.
Awards will be presented at Freedom of Information Day ceremonies on Friday, March 14, Noon-1:00 at the Minneapolis Central Library.
Keynote speaker for the event is Jane Kirtley, Director of the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law at the University of Minnesota. Kirtley is an internationally-known expert and lecturer on issues of media law and freedom of information. Prior to joining the U of M School of Journalism and Mass Communication in 1999, Kirtley was the Executive Director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and a columnist for American Journalism Review. Her presentation is entitled "The Light at the End of the Tunnel: The Outlook for FOI."
John R. Finnegan, Sr., for whom the award is named, is a Minnesota journalist and renowned defender of the First Amendment and the role of informed citizens in a democracy.
The Minnesota Coalition on Government Information is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation representing individuals and organizations committed to open access to public information in print, electronic and digital formats. The Coalition involves media representatives, attorneys, librarians, computer professionals, state and local government officials, educators and others who care about transparency in government, information access and the role of an informed citizenry in a democracy.
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'08 FOI conference set for March 14th
News release
Friday, March 14
WASHINGTON -- The 10th annual National FOI Day Conference will be held on Friday, March 14th, in the Freedom Forum's Newseum, located at 555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., in the nation's capital. (The Newseum will formally open April 11th.)
This year's conference, hosted by the First Amendment Center, will include noted keynote speakers; more than a dozen national experts discussing new amendments to the federal Freedom of Information Act and access to critical infrastructure information; and presentation of the American Library Association's annual James Madison awards. In addition, new reports and publications on FOI and government secrecy will be available for conference participants.
The FOI Day conference, which brings together access advocates, government officials, lawyers, librarians, journalists, educators and others, is co-sponsored by Sunshine Week and held in cooperation with the American Library Association, OpenTheGovernment.org, the Coalition of Journalists for Open Government and the Sunshine in Government Initiative.
The conference will begin with continental breakfast at 8 a.m. for those arriving early, and the programming will begin at 8:30 a.m. The conference will end by 3 p.m.
Ronald K.L. Collins, First Amendment scholar, said program details would be announced on this Web site.
There is no charge to attend, but because space is limited, participants must register individually in advance. To register for the 2008 National FOI Day Conference, you must:
- Send an email to foidayconference@freedomforum.org
- Or call (202) 292-6446 and leave a message.
When registering, please provide your name, title, affiliation and contact information and let us know whether you will be attending the lunch.
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Group's first "Freedom of Information Day" celebration set for March 17th
Sponsored by the Program on Law and Government's Collaboration on Government Secrecy ("CGS")
March 17, 2008: 9 am - 4 pm (registration at 8:30 am)
American University Washington College of Law
4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Room 603, Washington, DC
In the United States, "Freedom of Information Day" is celebrated annually on March 16 (James Madison's birthday) or proximate business day, at the beginning of what is now known as "Sunshine Week." This program is the first annual celebration of Freedom of Information Day by Washington College of Law's new Collaboration on Government Secrecy ("CGS"), and this year it helps launch the "Sunshine Week" (March 17-21) of related activities by media and public interest groups. Panels of leading experts will discuss major issues of current importance to the openness-in-government community:
- The 2007 FOIA Amendments -- their development, oversight of their implementation, and prospects
for further legislative activity during the 110th Congress
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The state secrets privilege -- its initial development, its use in recent litigation, and ongoing efforts
toward potential legislative curtailment
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Pseudosecrecy -- the post-9/11 proliferation of agency "safeguarding" labels--such as "For Official Use
Only" and "Sensitive But Unclassified" information
-
International transparency -- the dramatic growth of government openness worldwide, based largely on the FOIA as a model
Speakers will include the three principal congressional staff members for FOIA activity in the House and Senate; the government's leading appellate litigator of state secrets privilege cases prior to 2001; officials of the National Security Council and Department of Defense; and representatives of media and nongovernment organizations. The program also features a keynote address by WCL Professor Robert Vaughn, plaintiff in the seminal case of Vaughn v. Rosen; a luncheon speech by United States District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth, former chief judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and soon to be chief judge of the District Court for the District of Columbia; and an additional special presentation.
General Registration -- no charge
To register, please go to http://www.wcl.american.edu/secle/cle_form.cfm
For further information, please contact:
Office of Special Events & Continuing Legal Education
American University Washington College of Law
Phone: 202.274.4075; Fax: 202.274.4079; or secle@wcl.american.edu
For questions about program content, please contact Sarah Tobianski, saraht@wcl.american.edu
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Sunshine Week 2008 Webcast on March 19th
"Government Secrecy: Censoring Your Right to Know"
Wednesday, March 19, 1:00pm- 2:30pm (EDT)
Registration now open. Visit OpenTheGovernment.org here for more information. Registration ends March 7, 2008.
Flyers for your perusal and dissemination
What?
The event will be in two segments. The first will be a panel discussion on executive branch power and secrecy, congressional rights and responsibilities, and the role of the press. Confirmed speakers are Mickey Edwards, Director of the Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership and former Republican member of Congress from Oklahoma for 16 years (1977-92), and John Podesta, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Center for American Progress, Chief of Staff to President William J. Clinton from October 1998 until January 2001, and formerly in senior staff positions in Congress. Patrice McDermott, Director of OpenTheGovernment.org, will moderate the discussion.
Citizen Self-Help will be the focus of the second segment of the event. We will be visiting with the creators of sites that make government information -- at a variety of levels -- available to and usable by the public. A quick report will be given, as well, on an initiative to develop a 21st Century Right-to-Know agenda and recommendations for the next President and Congress.
In each segment, opportunities will be available for audience questions from all participants.
Where?
The event will be held in the Holeman Lounge of the National Press Club in Washington, D.C and webcast to sites around the country. A satellite downlink option will be available for a fee.
We're inviting you to host a program in your community!
Sites are encouraged to show the national program and plan local programs tailored to open government issues in their communities. Audience members at all sites viewing the live event will have an opportunity to call in (using any telephone) and email questions to our live panels. We will answer as many questions as time permits.
When?
The event will be held on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 1:00pm- 2:30pm (EDT). Once registered, sites may access the archived webcast for about one month after the program. If you are not able to show the program live, please consider showing it at a later date! It will also be up on the OpenTheGovernment.org website and be available by DVD.
Sunshine Week is March 16-22, 2008. Visit www.sunshineweek.org to learn more about Sunshine Week.
How?
You will be able to watch the webcast for free! We request that you register to do so.
The cost -- for the satellite downlink option -- is $250 per site. All sites are required to pay this fee even if showing the program at a later date, to help us underwrite our costs.
If you have questions please contact: Chris Green, Program Associate, OpenTheGovernment.org, cgreen at openthegovernment.org.
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Sunshine Week 2008 hits the campaign trail
Candidates from president to mayor to be quizzed on access issues.
Washington - The Sunshine Week alliance has begun a yearlong Sunshine Campaign project to bring the discussion of open government issues to election campaigns from president to local city council. While the initiative expands the scope of Sunshine Week to cover the entire election season, specific events and coverage are still planned for Sunshine Week, March 16-22, 2008.
Sunshine Week is a non-partisan open government initiative led by the American Society of Newspaper Editors, with online and broadcast media, public officials, celebrities, civic groups, non-profits, libraries, schools, religious leaders and others. It is primarily funded by a challenge grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
The Sunshine Campaign is designed to spur campaign conversation—and commitment—to open government during the presidential race and continuing on through to city council contests. Journalists, and anyone else with the opportunity, are encouraged to ask every candidate for public office to explain his or her positions on open government and Freedom of Information issues.
The replies, sent in to Sunshine Week by participants and observers, will be used to develop a database of presidential statements, positions, votes and views across a variety of open government issues as a running reference. Independent research on previous statements, votes and other available relevant FOI data also will be in the database.
During one of its initial Sunshine Campaign activities, Sunshine Week teamed with The Creative Coalition to discuss open government issues at the recent Democratic presidential candidates' debate in Las Vegas.
Among those attending a dinner co-sponsored by The Creative Coalition and Sunshine Week were Coalition co-president and actor Joe Pantoliano and actors/members Tim Daly, Kerry Washington, James Denton, Matthew Modine and Richard Schiff. Other guests included Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist; Eric Alterman, author and columnist for The Nation; and writer, producer and pundit Lawrence O'Donnell Jr.
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