Eric Gillespie, Founder and CEO of Govini and an expert in transparency in government, has been appointed to the newly formed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Advisory Committee.
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Tag: Federal Government
Vermont’s Leahy pushes transparency as Shumlin protects single-payer secrets
Vermont’s senior U.S. senator wants more transparency in government. Unfortunately, Vermont’s governor insists on less.
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Exclusive: CIA Sued For Info Over Spying on Senate Torture Investigation
Today Jason Leopold and Ryan Shapiro, commonly known as Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) warriors, upped the ante in their fight for more transparency from the CIA relating to its Bush-era torture and rendition program. Leopold, a freelance investigative journalist, and Shapiro, a researcher at MIT, have filed a lawsuit against the CIA compelling the agency to release documents about their spying on Senate lawmakers who were tasked with investigating CIA torture.
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Award-winning investigative reporter calls Obama Administration ‘Worst Atmosphere’ for Journalists
On last night’s C-SPAN Q&A interview series, Sharyl Attkisson said the Obama administration has created “the worst atmosphere” journalists have ever faced, and called the Freedom of Information Act “a joke.”
Attkisson is an award-winning investigative reporter who earlier this year made headlines for resigning from CBS News after a 20-year career at the TV network. Earlier this month, she became a senior independent contributor to The Daily Signal.
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Feds To Post Open Data From 700 R&D Facilities
Entrepreneurs and innovators can now access machine-readable research data in the areas of energy, healthcare, and space from more than 700 federal research and development facilities to assist them in researching, building, and testing new technologies through a major enhancement to the Research.Data.gov portal.
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Government Data + Maps: 10 Great Examples
Nearly every federal government agency uses geographic information system (GIS) technology to meet various mission goals. Agencies rely on GIS for asset management, citizen engagement, public policy, planning and analysis, disaster response, and much more.
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Experts propose model to close loopholes in FOIA regulations
Good government groups are lambasting current regulations that govern the Freedom of Information Act and want the Justice Department to consider major changes.
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FL Congressman offers amendment to stop government from tracking private vehicles
Congressman Ted Yoho (R-FL-03) offered an amendment to a bill that was accepted by voice, which would prohibit any money to be used to mandate any type of government GPS location device on personal vehicles.
The amendment was to H.R. 4745 – Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 (THUD), in which Yoho voted in favor of.
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After Two Years of Stonewalling, Judicial Watch Requests Court Lift Stay on Fast and Furious FOIA Lawsuit
Two years ago government watchdog Judicial Watch submitted a Freedom of Information Act request surrounding materials about Operation Fast and Furious to the Department of Justice. At the time, DOJ officials failed to respond, so Judicial Watch sued. Because of the ongoing conflict between the House Oversight Committee and the Department of Justice, a judge granted a brief stay preventing a FOIA lawsuit from moving forward. That stay was issued 18 months ago.
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Agencies Should Cooperate with Freedom of Information Ombudsman, Administrative Conference Says
Federal agencies should do more to cooperate with the government's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) ombudsman, according to recommendations approved June 5 by the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS). The recommendations also called for the ombudsman, the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), to continue efforts to assist people who make FOIA requests. The recommendation is a positive step for helping people access public information under FOIA.
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