From Secrecy News:
The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence announced (pdf) that it will hold a hearing on Friday May 26 on “the Media’s Role and Responsibilities in Leaks of Classified Information.”
There is no legislation on leaks currently before the Committee, and there are no governmental witnesses testifying at the hearing.
Archive of entries posted on May 2006
House Intel Committee to Hold Hearing on Leaks
State Secrets Privilege Shuts Courthouse Doors
From Secrecy News:
The state secrets privilege has been invoked by the Bush Administration with greater frequency than ever before in American history in a wide range of lawsuits that the government says would threaten national security if allowed to proceed.
In virtually every case, the use of the privilege leads to dismissal of the lawsuit and [...]
Vice President Refuses to Report Classification Activity
From Secrecy News:
For the third year in a row the Office of Vice President Dick Cheney has refused to disclose data on its classification and declassification activity, in an apparent violation of an executive order issued by President Bush. . .
. . . The Office of the Vice President has declined to report such data [...]
Massive Collection of Formerly Secret and Top Secret Transcripts of Henry Kissinger’s Meetings with World Leaders Published On-Line
From the National Security Archive:
Today the National Security Archive announces the publication of the most comprehensive collection ever assembled of the memoranda of conversations (memcons) involving Henry Kissinger, one of the most acclaimed and controversial U.S. diplomats of the second half of the 20th century. Published on-line in the Digital National Security Archive (ProQuest) as [...]
Coalition of Journalists for Open Government
Welcome to our window on open government and freedom of information, both in our nation’s capital and around the U.S. The view is clouded by increasing government secrecy, but our goal is to provide timely reports on efforts to achieve greater access to public records and meetings and a free flow of information. We also [...]
Jumping into the Political Fray: Academics and Policy-Making
In this study, Daniel Cohn argues that academics have substantial and ample opportunities to influence public policy but that this influence is usually indirect, achieved by convincing those with power to advocate for and/or act on their ideas. Cohn examines how such opportunities arise and can be generated by academics. He also looks at the [...]
Homefront Confidential: How the War on Terrorism Affects Access to Information and the Public’s Right to Know
This white paper (published in its sixth edition in 2005) “assesses how government actions have affected the media’s ability to provide information to the public” since September 11, 2001. Discusses the USA Patriot Act, the reporter’s privilege, the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, access to government documents, and state-specific legislation. From the Reporters Committee for [...]
Library Connection Executive Director and Board of Directors reveal they are “John Doe”
“Today four Connecticut librarians spoke publicly for the first time about their experience as recipients of a National Security Letter (NSL) demanding library records. Plaintiffs in John Doe v. Gonzales George Christian, Executive Director of Library Connection; Barbara Bailey, President of the Library Connection Board; Peter Chase, the Board’s Vice President; and Janet Nocek, Secretary [...]
White House Wants NSA Lawsuits Nixed
From CBS News:
The Bush administration asked federal judges in New York and Michigan to dismiss a pair of lawsuits filed over the National Security Agency’s domestic eavesdropping program, saying litigation would jeopardize state secrets.
In legal papers filed late Friday, Justice Department lawyers said it would be impossible to defend the legality of the spying program [...]
Internet Access to Court Records – Balancing Public Access and Privacy
Abstract:
Federal and state courts across the country are becoming publicly accessible as never before. Growing reliance on computer technology generally and on the Internet specifically, has made the prospect of placing court case records and information online via the Internet a reality. Yet as courts around the country are discovering, difficult policy questions arise as [...]