Do Americans Have a Right to Know If Their Government Is Incompetent?
A Senate report on Trump administration leaks overstates national security risks.
Transparency
Trump-Media Wars, Nancy MacLean's Smear, and the People vs. John McEnroe: New Fifth Column
Podcast takes aim at journalistic self-importance, politician awfulness, and Southie accents
Chicago Police Indictments Show Importance of Making Videos Public
Would anybody have been held accountable for Laquan McDonald's death if we hadn't seen the shooting?
Pennsylvania's Top Court Says Police Videos Are Public, But Lawmakers Are Already Removing Access
This win for government transparency appears to have an expiration date.
Where Are All the FBI's Files on Dungeons & Dragons?
How a silly record request revealed a deeper problem with FBI transparency.
California Lawmakers Seek to Subvert Government Transparency
The state legislature is failing to heed the will of the voters.
NYPD Claims It's the Most Transparent Police Department in the World
In case you needed a good laugh today.
Colorado's Tough New Forfeiture Law Provides Real Police Oversight, Transparency
Governor signs bill requiring police to report seizures and making it harder for cops to bypass state rules.
Chelsea Manning Showed Us the Consequences of War, and We Threw Her in Prison
Whistleblower who helped make WikiLeaks famous freed after seven years.
Is Ignorance Trump's Excuse for Obstructing Justice?
Maybe the president doesn't know enough to break the law.
Resisting Nixon Comparison, Trump Provokes Tempest Over Secret White House Tapes
Republican senators say they want the probably nonexistent recordings of the president's conversations with James Comey.
Trump Admits He Would Have Fired Comey Regardless of What the DOJ Said
The president abandons a cover story that made liars of his spokesmen.
Comey's Dismissal Shows Trump Is Really Bad at Cover-Ups
The president's ham-handed efforts to stifle interest in Russia's election meddling have only drawn more attention to it.
Another Reason to Thank Snowden: Increased Federal Surveillance Transparency
More than 150 million phone call records of Americans were collected in 2016.
Calif. Lawmaker Thinks Police Aren't Protected Enough from Misconduct Claims
Bill would increase the evidence threshold to find that an officer has lied.
Draining the Swamp Apparently Means Hiding the White House Visitor Logs
Releasing White House visitor logs was one of Obama's better transparency moves. Naturally, Trump won't do it.
Cop Who Shot and Killed Ramarley Graham Had More Complaints Against Him Than Usual Too
Richard Haste accumulated six complaints in a thirteen-month period, most cops don't have that many over their entire careers.
This Self-Taught Programmer Is Bringing Transparency to California Politics
A laid-off grocery bagger learned to code and is now shining a light on spending by politicians, their campaigns, and outside groups.
Employee Who Leaked NYPD Killer Cop's Disciplinary Record Already Out of a Job
The city stopped releasing such records recently after deciding to interpret a state privacy law differently.
State Department Misses Deadline to Manage All Emails Electronically
The agency already tried to get out of the requirements once.
Leaked Returns: In 2005, Trump Claimed $150 Million in Earnings, Paid $36 Million in Taxes
Tax returns leaked; Rachel Maddow's exclusive gets scooped by White House pre-response.
California High Court Rules Public Records Remain Public on Private Email
Government officials cannot skirt public records laws by using private email accounts.
Feds Blame 'Self-Styled FOIA Terrorist' for Their Own Stonewalling
Journalists shouldn't have to sue to get public information.
The Double-Edged Sword of Encrypted White House Chatter: Leaks Vs. Secrecy
When transparency and government corruption can come from the same mechanism.
Scott Pruitt Emails Reveal He Consulted with Industry About Regulations
Another tiresome example of selective political outrage ensues.
When Even Prosecutors Can't Be Informed About Corrupt Cops, We've Got a Problem
California's shielding of police misconduct affects criminal cases.
U.K. Considers War on Leaks by Criminalizing Even Receiving Secret Gov't Info
Proposal seen as targeting whistleblowers and journalists.
Gov. Christie Helps N.J. Police Keep Property Seizure Info Secretive
Vetoes legislation requiring better reporting of how law enforcement gets its hands on people's stuff.
The NYPD's Transparency Policies Make No Sense
Officer Richard Haste's departmental trial for the killing of teenager Ramarley Graham was open to the public, but records of the trial are not.
Don't Look Now, But Your Government Is Leaking
As Trump takes over, it won't get any easier to keep a lid on leakers.
CIA 'Black Sites' Could Be Back Soon, Per Leaked Trump Administration Draft Order
The secret prisons used by the CIA during the Bush administration-where torture took place-could get a Trump-era reboot.
Trump Definitively Forsakes His Promise to Release His Tax Returns
"People didn't care," says an adviser. "They voted for him."
Majority of States Lack Transparency on Asset Forfeiture
Want to know how much stuff police are seizing from people and where all that money goes? Good luck.
'The Most Transparent Administration in History'
A campaign promise becomes a punchline.
Obama Administration Should Be More Transparent About Russia Allegations
Public hearings and documents, not anonymous sources describing unreleased reports, should drive any substantive discussion.
Thank Snowden? U.S. to Reveal Numbers of Americans Affected by Surveillance
Report may be out by next month.
Obama Preserves Torture Report While Keeping It Secret
Will we ever truly know the full extent that we used waterboarding and abusive techniques on prisoners during the war on terror?
Border Patrol and IRS Sued for Stonewalling FOIA Requests on Asset Forfeiture
IRS charges nonprofit $750K to see FOIA records on asset forfeiture.
Pennsylvania Governor Vetoes Bill To Keep Names of Police Officers in Shootings Secret
"I cannot allow local police department policies to be superseded and transparency to be criminalized."
Clinton Blames FBI Director for Her Loss
The defeated Democrat still thinks the email issue was bogus, even though she also thinks it cost her the election.
Americans Are Still Freer Than Most, But the Trend Line Are Worrying
Freedom of the press, government accountability and transparency, and economic freedom have all been trending down, while corruption is trending up.
Clinton Lies About Lying About Her Lies
The newly revived email controversy shows how she manages to be less trusted than Trump.
Human Freedom Is Up, But Government Quality Is Deteriorating
Progress in spite of government not because of it.
Liberty-Loving Pirates Look to Conquer Iceland!
Peacefully, at the polls-not with swords and cannons and Johnny Depp.
Pennsylvania Senate Advances Bill That Would Block Access to Police Body Cam Videos
A bad state bill would simultaneously decrease police accountability and let them film wherever they want.
Justice Department Says It Will Finally Collect Police Use of Force Data
But will the DOJ actually penalize police departments that don't share data by withholding federal grant money?
Protests, Tear Gas, and Arrests As Portland Approves New Police Union Contract
After the mayor closed off city council vote to the public, chaos ensued.
