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Government Transparency

Obama Transparency Workshop Closed To The Public

AP | SHARON THEIMER | Posted 12.07.2009 | Politics

Read More: Obama Openness, Freedom of Information Officials, Obama Transparency Workshop, Obama Transparency, Obama Openness Workshop, Government Transparency, Government Transparency Work Shop, Obama Administration Transparency, Politics News

WASHINGTON — A Republican senator who sponsored a law meant to help people with open-records requests says a government workshop on openness sho...

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Senators Demand Fewer Secrets, New Transparency Standards

AP | LAURIE KELLMAN | Posted 11.30.2009 | Politics

Read More: John Cornyn, Senate Judiciary Committee Obama Transparency, Senate Judiciary Committee Transparency, Obama Transparency, Leahy Transparency, Obama Transparency Standards, President Obama, Obama Freedom of Information Act, Freedom of Information Act, Government Transparency, Patrick Leahy, Leahy and Cornyn Bill, Cornyn Transparency, Politics News

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's new standards for government openness have not trickled down to some agencies, where officials have used special statutes slipped into bills to skirt the Freedom of Information Act, open government advocates said Wednesday.

Efforts to strengthen the 42-year-old law "have been hampered by the increasing use of legislative exemptions that are often sneaked into legislation without debate or public scrutiny," Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy said.

News organizations and media groups said new legislation was needed to limit the information agencies may keep secret and for how long.

"The secrecy reflex at some agencies remains firmly in place," said Tom Curley, president and chief executive of The Associated Press. And FOIA still contains relatively weak penalties for those that don't meet their disclosure obligations, he said.

"We appreciate the change in policy direction, but the change hasn't yet reached the street," said Curley, testifying on behalf of the Sunshine in Government Initiative, a coalition of media groups.

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Release of Police Documents Imminent

Jamie Kalven | Posted 11.09.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Bond v. Utreras, Government Secrecy, Mayor Daley, Mara Georges, Jody Weis, Joan Lefkow, Chicago Police Department, Government Transparency, Chicago Police Misconduct, Civil Rights, Chicago News
Jamie Kalven

The city believes its power to impose secrecy should be unlimited and beyond scrutiny, that it should be the sole arbiter of what is and is not public information.

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Quinn Signs Strengthened Open Records Law

State Journal-Register | Posted 09.17.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Foia, Illinois Foia Laws, Pat Quinn Open Records, Pat Quinn, Illinois Open Records Law, Government Transparency, Illinois Public Records, Lisa Madigan, Chicago News

Gov. Pat Quinn today signed into law a rewrite of the state's open-records law that will allow courts to fine public bodies that violate it "willfully...

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State Stimulus Web Site Still Gets Low Marks For Transparency

Chicago Public Radio | Adriene Hill | Posted 09.17.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Illinois Stimulus Web Site, Illinois Stimulus Funds, Good Jobs First, Stimulus Package, Government Transparency, Chicago News

Illinois has updated its stimulus Websites -- but it's still getting low marks for transparency....

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Governor, Legislature Holding Closed Meetings Despite Reform Message

Chicago Tribune | Ray Long | Posted 04.30.2009 | Chicago

Read More: Quinn Open Meetings, Open Meetings, Illinois Open Meetings Act, Pat Quinn, Government Secrecy, Government Transparency, John Cullerton, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Pat Quinn and the top legislative leaders strode down a stairwell and into a Capitol hearing room for a private meeting with the H...

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