Hillary Rodham Clinton isn’t the only one apparently baffled by newfangled technologies such as email (see nearby). In a withering ruling on Monday, a federal judge scored the Environmental Protection Agency for its contempt for its legal obligation to disclose documents and then lying to the courts about its stonewalling.
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Read More… from Opinion: ‘Offensively Unapologetic’ at the EPA
As a candidate for president in 2008, Hillary Clinton promised a more open and transparent government.
“Well, number one, I want to have a much more transparent government, and I think we now have the tools to make that happen,” Clinton said.
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On June 1 of last year, the Dallas Police Department launched a new records management and field reporting system. Police officials promised it would give the department “improved intelligence-gathering capabilities, increased accountability throughout the investigative process, and improved integration with the District Attorney’s Office.” The new system would also briefly shut down the online records portal. Thirty days tops, they said. No big deal.
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Representatives of the University of Connecticut Foundation made an impassioned argument at a legislative hearing Thursday that any law forcing them to open their records to the public — even if donors' name are excluded — would impede their efforts to raise money.
And it seemed from the response of the legislators on the higher-education committee that most — though not all — agreed with that argument.
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Read More… from UConn Foundation Says ‘Transparency’ Bills Would Chill Donors
The public’s right to know about how executions take place in Texas – including current, controversial secret information regarding the lethal drugs used to administer the death sentence – would be dramatically strengthened under legislation filed on Wednesday, February 18, by Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg.
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Many people are aware of the Freedom of Information Act, known by its acronym, FOIA. It’s the kind of thing that might be described as “government trade secrets, inside out.”
In essence, it means that you can get “private” information from the government by filing a request. Think the government has a file on you? Well, you can file and they will tell you if they do or don’t, or that “they don’t want to confirm or deny” the existence of such a file.
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The village of Oakley has again voted to release the names of reserve police officers.
In a 5-0 vote, with two people abstaining, the Village Council during a special meeting Tuesday, Feb. 24, agreed to give out the names.
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Read More… from Oakley trustees again vote to release names of reserve police officers
A new guide to Tennessee’s open records and open meetings laws should have a lasting impact on good government across our state.
“Keys to Open Government” a 52-page book, was released earlier this month at the Tennessee Press Association’s winter convention. Perhaps no one was waiting breathlessly, but that doesn’t diminish the need for such a resource.
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National Immigration Law Center and other legal aid and public interest groups filed a Freedom of Information Act suit Friday seeking access to records relating to worksite raids led by U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement to uncover undocumented workers.
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Read More… from ICE Worksite Enforcement Audits Under Fire In New Suit
Deep in the bowels of Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed 2015-17 budget is language to exempt research done by the University of Wisconsin System from the state’s open records law, unless it is published or patented.
This blanket exemption would spare the UW from needing a good reason to deny access to these records, as current law requires. Instead, universities could categorically spurn inquiries from citizens, media and even lawmakers looking into controversial research, potential threats to public safety, conflicts of interest or how tax dollars are spent.
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