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NEW: We asked the Office of Special Counsel to investigate HHS's media policies. Its investigation found HHS violated federal law by gagged its scientists during the pandemic http://ow.ly/ut3y50H9Ujx
Trump appointee Michael Caputo warned government employees last year not to speak with the media, records obtained by BuzzFeed News revealed.
New: We interviewed Protect Democracy’s and Accountability 2021 contributor Anne Tindall on restoring accountability in Biden’s Department of Justice. . Listen on Anchor.fm or Spotify:
https://anchor.fm/open-the-government/episodes/Restoring-Accountability-in-Bidens-Justice-Department-e19qp9o
Anne Tindall, Policy Counsel at Protect Democracy and Accountability 2021 contributor is on for a chat about reform at the Department of Justice. In what areas has the department made progress so far, what areas are most in need of improvement? Hear why Tindall's action steps for DOJ include releasi...
Reforming : What Will It Take? Our Freddy Martinez is back to discuss why it’s necessary to strengthen FOIA for the federal government and the public.
https://anchor.fm/open-the-government/episodes/Reforming-FOIA-What-Will-It-Take-e19ra11
Freddy Martinez, Policy Analyst at Open The Government, is back to discuss one of the most vital tools of good governance, the Freedom of Information Act, and how Congress and the Biden administration can strengthen it. Martinez said the 2016 FOIA Improvement Act was a good first step, and addresses...
Listen Now: Our interview with Open The Government's Freddy Martinez on attaining policing accountability
https://anchor.fm/open-the-government/episodes/What-will-it-take-to-attain-accountability-in-policing-e19cs76
Freddy Martinez, Policy Analyst at Open The Government, discusses how transparency can improve policing accountability. According to Martinez, "ironically, the broad latitude we give to police to investigate crimes also affords them the secrecy to be one of the worst violators of public records laws...
New: Listen to Open The Government’s podcast series highlighting 2021 recommendations. Available now on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1NsS3nAnf61FFzrFesjw99
&
Anchorfm: https://anchor.fm/open-the-government
Welcome to the Accountability 2021 Perspectives podcast series, where we discuss the roadmap of federal reforms in Accountability 2021 - developed by good government advocates from across the political spectrum - to restore accountability in the federal government.
New: Today, Open The Government and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington expressed strong support for
Senator Ben Cardin, Senator Patrick J Leahy and
Representative Jamie Raskin’s reintroduction of the Private Prison Information Act (S. 3164/H.R. 5853) to end private prisons secrecy.
https://www.openthegovernment.org/open-the-government-crew-applaud-reintroduction-of-private-prison-reform-legislation/
The bill addresses lack of accountability surrounding private prisons, jails, and detention centers that house federal inmates Washington – Today, following Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), and Representative Jamie Raskin’s (D-Md) reintroduction of the Private Prison Informatio...
For years, OTG, CREW & a broad coalition of organizations committed to civil liberties, human rights, and civil rights, have advocated for greater accountability from private facilities because of the direct impact of their work on the lives of detainees.
Last week, more than two dozen organizations urged Congress to support the legislation:
https://openthegovernment.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/PPIA-Endorsement-Letter-2021.pdf
The PPIA was previously introduced in the House and Senate in 2019 following the coalition’s advocacy efforts on the issue.
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee considers pertinent legislation, including the Securing Inspector General Independence Act. The bill will protect IGs by limiting the circumstances under which the President (or other agency) can fire them (for good cause), and after detailing for Congress the specific reasons why the IG is no longer able to fulfill their mission. Watch a video of the meeting.
https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/hearings/11/03/2021/business-meeting
After a decade, Facebook is shutting down its facial recognition system. But the company and lawmakers must do more to protect users' images from being scraped by facial recognition technology companies such as Clearview AI.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/02/technology/facebook-facial-recognition.html?smid=tw-share
Saying it wants “to find the right balance” with the technology, the social network will delete the face scan data of more than one billion users.
New: Read our latest blog post on the threats Trump’s latest lawsuit poses to Jan 6 accountability, the right to information, executive privilege, and presidential records.
https://www.openthegovernment.org/trumps-latest-lawsuit-hinders-jan-6-accountability/
On Monday, October 19, 2021, former President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit to block the release of records detailing his communications leading up to and during the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Directed to the House Select Committee investigating the insurrection, the National Archives and Recor...
‘In 2009, Bruce Alpert filed a freedom of information request. Twelve years later he got answers - after he had already retired.’ A classic example of why open government advocates continue to push for a major reset on how agencies interpret and administer
https://www.npr.org/2021/10/24/1048790522/in-2009-he-filed-a-freedom-of-information-request-twelve-years-https://www.facebook.com/105034613711/publishing_tools/later-he-got-answ
NPR's Asma Khalid speaks to reporter Bruce Alpert about a Freedom of Information request he filed 12 years ago for a story. And he got his response nine days ago - after he'd already retired.
Open The Government is hiring for Policy Director or Policy Analyst positions. Join a collaborative team advocating for a more transparent federal government.
https://www.openthegovernment.org/otg-is-hiring-policy-director-policy-analyst-positions/
OTG is the only nonpartisan coalition dedicated to advancing openness for accountability. The coalition, comprised of more than 100 partner organizations, seeks to strengthen democracy and empower the public by advancing policies that create a more open and accountable government. Founded in the aft...
Attorney General Garland testified for the first time before the House Judiciary Committee today, and a theme quickly emerged: calls for more accountability at the DOJ regarding legal violations under Trump, handling the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection, and more.
Greater accountability at the department also informed good government advocates' recommendations in for President Biden & Garland. For example: 'direct a dept-wide review of any instances of politicization of law enforcement activities, including investigations, charging or sentencing decisions, and where it is determined that such politicization occurred.' More recommendations for the DOJ:
https://www.accountability2021.org/principle-8/
https://www.npr.org/2021/10/21/1048010555/garland-deflects-lawmakers-questions-on-trump-as-he-tries-to-sidestep-politics?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=politics&utm_term=nprnews
Attorney General Merrick Garland told lawmakers he's working to keep the Justice Department out of politics after four years of chaos during the Trump presidency.
Missed today's ‘Safeguarding Inspector General Independence and Integrity’ hearing? Watch the videoconference with:
•Allison C. Lerner, Chair, Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency
•Kevin H. Winters, Chair, Integrity Committee, CIGIE and
•The Honorable Michael E. Horowitz, Inspector General, Department of Justice
https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/hearings/safeguarding-inspector-general-independence-and-integrity
Senate Republicans AGAIN abused the filibuster to block the voting rights legislation most Americans support. The holds the promise of our democracy: all Americans must be able to cast their ballots in fair elections & elect leaders that are accountable to them.
https://news.yahoo.com/senate-republicans-block-freedom-vote-193500127.html
Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked the advancement of the Freedom to Vote Act, one of three major voting bills brought forward by Democrats in Congress this year.
Today: Important hearing at 10:15 a.m. on ‘Safeguarding Inspector General Independence and Integrity' at the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs. Watch the Videoconference.
https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/hearings/safeguarding-inspector-general-independence-and-integrity
A revelation that does not bode well for transparency at the Department of Justice. New American Prospect article on who’s really running the department.
https://prospect.org/justice/whos-really-running-justice/
Uncovering a long-running effort to obscure a BigLaw alum’s power within Garland’s DOJ
Come join our dynamic team! We are excited to announce Open The Government is hiring. Check out and spread the word about our Policy Director and Policy Analyst positions.
https://www.openthegovernment.org/otg-is-hiring-policy-director-policy-analyst-positions/
New: Check out our latest 'Transparency Matters' for updates from Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, Accountable.US, Center for Democracy & Technology, National Freedom of Information Coalition, a Q & A with Declaration for American Democracy director and dynamo Jana Morgan, and more. Subscribe! https://www.openthegovernment.org/subscribe/
The Jan. 6 Select Committee’s work is necessary for accountability, but could potentially be derailed by disinformation. The more reason it needs to start “pre-bunking” the lies now. Great tips from Protect Democracy's Jon Steinman.
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/the-jan-6-select-committee-disinformation-start-pre-bunking-the-lies-now
This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news...
The Jan. 6 Select Committee’s work is necessary for accountability, but could potentially be derailed by disinformation. The more reason it needs to start “pre-bunking” the lies now. Great tips from
Protect Democracy's Jon Steinman.
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/the-jan-6-select-committee-disinformation-start-pre-bunking-the-lies-now
This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news...
The Supreme Court is deciding whether information that is already public knowledge can be considered 'state secret' because the government says it would threaten national security to have to confirm it.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/supreme-court-considers-whether-information-widely-known-can-be-state-secret/ar-AAPbXrp?ocid=ob-tw-enus-702
Abu Zubaida, once thought to be an al-Qaeda leader, is seeking information about what he says was CIA-sponsored torture.
Clearview AI has collected more than 10 billion images from the web - 7 billion more than when the New York Times first ran a front-page story about its surveillance tool last year. It has also developed new ways to aid police in using the images.
See OTG's contribution to making the Times story possible:
possible in "Unmasking a Company That Wants to Unmask Us All"
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/20/reader-center/insider-clearview-ai.html
https://www.wired.com/story/clearview-ai-new-tools-identify-you-photos/?utm_source=twitter&mbid=social_twitter&utm_brand=wired&utm_medium=social&utm_social-type=owned
I reported on an app, created by the company Clearview AI, that can identify people in seconds using a trove of photos collected from across the web.
Excellent breakdown of secret law @ the Office of Legal Counsel within the DOJ in this Washington Post board editorial opinion. Both the Biden administration and Congress have a vital role to play in ending it.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/10/03/office-legal-counsel-transparency/
The Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department requires more transparency.
The is definitely lifting the veil of secrecy surrounding the wealth of world leaders and celebrities connected to offshore tax havens worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/10/03/pandora-papers-investigation-reaction/
The Pandora Papers investigation exposes the offshore system that government leaders, billionaires and criminals often use to hide their assets.
Update: Clearview AI told POLITICO it has “decided to withdraw the subpoenas it served on Open The Government and its associates". Thanks to everyone for the swift response to this & for helping push back on the intrusion of First Amendment protected activity!
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/27/clearview-facial-recognition-subpoenas-514338
The Clearview decision represents a major win for civil society groups and researchers.
Clearview AI subpoenaed us for our internal records after we exposed some law enforcement agencies’ use of their facial recognition technology. More about our story in POLITICO.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/24/clearview-ai-subpoena-watchdog-groups-514273
Advocacy groups argue the company is trying to bully critics.
Today, we went public about the subpoenas Open The Government received from Clearview AI demanding all of the responses we received to requests about police use of their technology & our communications with the media
https://www.openthegovernment.org/clearview-ai-subpoenas-open-the-government-for-communications-with-journalists/
The company demanded records after OTG exposed some law enforcement agencies’ use of Clearview AI’s facial recognition technology Washington – Open The Government launched a joint project with MuckRock in 2019 that requested information from more than 100 police departments across the country ...
Looking forward to OTG's Freddy Martinez discussing transparency and police misconduct at next Wednesday’s “Accessing police misconduct records and best systems for tracking them” at the National Freedom of Information Summit from 1:30 PM-2:30 PM.
Sign up and join the stream!
https://whova.com/web/natio_202109/
Date: September 28 - 30, 2021. Location: San Diego, CA. Event Schedule. Description:This year, the National Freedom of Informa...
Today, the House introduced the Protecting Our Democracy Act to prevent abuse of executive power and strengthen congressional oversight of the White House. Many of the pro-democracy recommendations in PODA, including reasserting Congress' power of the purse, stronger protections for whistleblowers and inspectors general, are in and are essential to accountable government
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/09/21/opinion/congress-must-rebuild-presidency/
www.accountability2021.org
The Protecting Our Democracy Act is Congress’s chance to protect the public from future American tyrants.
“The sooner the better”: The Washington Post Editorial Board spotlights key recommendations Biden must implement with more expediency to demonstrate the importance of transparency in government.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/09/12/biden-must-hold-government-accountable-starting-with-his-own/
The clock is ticking on essential transparency, ethics and oversight reforms.
After dramatically expanding its power post-9/11, the NYPD is routinely interrogating protesters and using "counterterrorism" facial recognition technology.
Story below. See also, OTG's citizen guide about the widespread use of the technology by police and the public’s right to know how it is deployed:
https://www.openthegovernment.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Know-Your-Rights_Facial-Recognition-Guide.pdf
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/08/nyregion/nypd-9-11-police-surveillance.html?smid=tw-nytmetro&smtyp=cur
Two decades after the attack on New York City, the Police Department is using counterterrorism tools and tactics to combat routine street crime.
Our ‘National Security in the Post 9/11 Era’ roundtable featured an excellent discussion on the domestic impact of conflicts abroad on American Muslims & communities of color caught in the crosshairs of secretive, abusive U.S. policies. Watch a recording.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDp5Sinbec
Ahead of the 20th anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks, Open The Government hosted a roundtable on national security in an era of endless wars an...
Heads up that Open The Government's email system is temporarily down for routine maintenance, but we’ll be back up and running by Tuesday morning. Need to reach us in the meantime?
Call us: (202) 332-6736
Thrilled the Washington Post featured one of our steering committee members Hina Shamsi in its profile of how 9/11 transformed lives. The experience ignited the brilliant attorney and ACLU's director of National Security Project's strong commitment to fight against the unjust U.S. policies that followed the attacks.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/interactive/2021/9-11-attacks-lives-transformed/
On Sept. 12, 2001, the United States staggered to its feet amid the devastation of the al-Qaeda terrorist attacks. Yet, for some Americans and millions of others around the globe, the harshest impacts were just beginning.
Happening Now: National Security in the Post 9/11 Era: https://www.openthegovernment.org/event-national-security-in-the-post-9-11-era/
Ahead of the 20th anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks, Open The Government will host a roundtable on national security in an era of endless wars and overclassification that has paved the way for unnecessary government secrecy amid calls for checks and balances on executive war powers. S...
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