From Standard Newswire:
Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced that the National Archives told U.S. District Court Judge James Robertson during a December 17, 2007 court hearing that a portion of Hillary Clinton’s White House office records will be ready for release by the end of January 2008; after [...]
Archive of entries posted on December 2007
National Archives Tells Court Hillary’s White House Records Ready for Bill Clinton’s Review by January 2008
Kentucky public libraries most regarded local government service in survey
From the News-Democrat & Leader:
Kentucky public libraries are the most highly regarded local government service, according to a recent independent survey of Kentuckians.
In addition, more than 95 percent of Kentuckians surveyed agree that public libraries are a good investment of tax dollars.
A survey of 600 Kentuckians by the University of Kentucky Survey Research Center sponsored [...]
Intel Agencies to Withhold Contract Info from Public Database
From Secrecy News:
Several defense intelligence agencies will withhold unclassified information about their contracts from a new public database of government spending.
The new database at USAspending.gov is intended to provide increased transparency regarding most government contracts.
But when it comes to intelligence spending, there will actually be a net loss of public information because categories of intelligence [...]
Congress Passes First FOIA Reform Bill in More Than a Decade
From the National Security Archive:
The House of Representatives at 5:18 pm today unanimously passed the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) reform bill (S. 2488) that passed the Senate by unanimous consent on December 14. The bill aims to fix some of the most persistent problems in the FOIA system, including excessive delay, lack of [...]
Korean Copyright Protection Extended to 70 Years
From the Korean Times:
The copyright period for royalty payments will be extended to 70 years from the current 50 years after the original copyright holder dies, as a step to meet the requirements of the “provisional” free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and the United States.
At a Cabinet meeting President Roh Moo-hyun chaired Tuesday, [...]
Iran shuts down 24 cafes in Net crackdown
From News.com:
Iranian police have closed down 24 Internet cafes and other coffee shops in as many hours, as part of a broad crackdown on “immoral” behavior in the Islamic state, official media said Sunday.
The action in Tehran province was the latest move in a campaign against practices deemed incompatible with Islamic values, including women not [...]
Spy law showdown postponed until next year
From News.com:
Congress won’t decide until next year whether to pass a complex law that would let telephone and Internet companies off the hook from lawsuits alleging illicit cooperation with federal government spies.
After a day of back-and-forth on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid emerged on Monday evening and announced he would postpone [...]
After Looting, Burning, Iraqi Archive Makes Comeback
From ABC News:
In the weeks after the U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, the charred, partly gutted Iraqi National Library and Archive became a symbol of the chaos and lawlessness that swept through the capital. . .
. . . Now, on the brink of the first anniversary of Saddam Hussein’s death, and some four [...]
Senate gives FOIA overhaul green light
From the Austin American-Statesman:
The Senate unanimously approved legislation tonight that would strengthen the much beleaguered Freedom of Information Act.
The passage of legislation, sponsored by Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, was seen as a “break through” by the open government community.
An earlier attempt to overhaul the 41-year-old law has been stalled since August [...]
CREW Statement: Federal Judge Declares White House Visitor Records Subject to the Freedom of Information Act
From Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington:
From its first days, this administration has tried to keep the American public in the dark about what goes on behind closed White House doors. Through a secret agreement and a letter from Vice President Cheney’s counsel, the administration had attempted to permanently hide from view records related [...]