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A pile of classified redacted documents — AI-generated image

The U.S. classifies far too many secrets, obstructing democracy.

Excessive government secrecy takes many forms, from agencies needlessly claiming documents are classified to ignoring information requests and destroying records — even when the documents show government fraud or illegal conduct. This hinders a free press, effective oversight, and the public’s ability to self govern.

We need to fight for systemic improvements, and we need the press to vigorously question the government every time it says something is classified.

Tell Congress to support the Presidential Records Act

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Edit this message so that it is unique to you: Dear [Senator/Representative], As your constituent, I am writing to urge you to ISSUE A STATEMENT explicitly reaffirming that the Presidential Records Act is constitutional and that any claims to the contrary are not lawful and threaten our democracy. This is necessary in response to the Department of Justice’s recent memo claiming the PRA is unconstitutional, arguing that a president’s records are private property. This is wrong and flips 50 years of transparency on its head. The law has required every president since Ronald Reagan to turn their records over to the government at the end of their term. This ensures that the “American story” belongs to the public, not just those who inhabit the White House. This transparency provided vital insights into Democratic and Republican administrations alike, on topics ranging from the Obama administration’s Iran nuclear deal and the George W. Bush administration’s response to Hurricane Katrina. If this DOJ memo stands, every future president, Democrat or Republican, will operate in total darkness. This is a bipartisan emergency. I am asking you to PLEASE SPEAK OUT and use your influence to safeguard the PRA. Your efforts to ensure our government remains transparent will have major implications for the public’s faith in our democracy. Thank you. URLs are not allowed in this message.

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Join me in urging Congress to defend the Presidential Records Act, thus ensuring that the American story belongs to the public — not whoever is in the White House.

Featured Items

Judge gets it wrong in censoring the Post-Dispatch
Prior Restraint•Article
An unconstitutional order once again extends a prior restraint on newspaper

Published Sept. 22, 2023 Freedom of the Press Foundation
Freeze out: Politicians retaliate against the press using public notices
Media Funding•Article
Anti-press lawmakers are attacking the press by yanking contracts to publish public notices or ending requirements to publish notices in newspapers entirely

Published Sept. 13, 2023 Caitlin Vogus
Financial censorship harms press freedom
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GoFundMe blocked a publisher and won’t say why. Payment processors should be transparent about decisions to freeze or ban accounts

Published Sept. 6, 2023 Seth Stern Caitlin Vogus
Police use victims’ rights law to hide from scrutiny
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Journalists and the public need to know officers’ identities to hold them accountable for their official actions

Published Aug. 22, 2023 Caitlin Vogus
Police dodge journalists by encrypting radio
Secrecy•Article
The NYPD is the latest force to join this anti-transparency trend

Published Aug. 9, 2023 Caitlin Vogus
Honoring Daniel Ellsberg’s legacy: A $1 million donation to tackle government secrecy
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Jack Dorsey’s #startsmall backs efforts to reform the government secrecy system, while honoring the late Daniel Ellsberg

Published July 19, 2023 Freedom of the Press Foundation
Dozens of civil society groups oppose congressional censorship law
Online Censorship•Article
Dozens of civil society and press freedom organizations have opposed a new proposal that would allow members of Congress to compel online censorship of certain information

Published July 19, 2023 Caitlin Vogus
Secret science laws limit access to research records
FOIA•Article
Denying the press and public access to records isn’t the right way to protect academic freedom

Published June 13, 2023 Caitlin Vogus
In honor of a whistleblowing legend: Announcing the Daniel Ellsberg Chair on Government Secrecy
Secrecy•News Release
We will honor our friend by fighting for what he fought for his entire life: an end to excessive government secrecy.

Published May 25, 2023 Trevor Timm
Copyright abuses preview a world without Section 230
Online Censorship•Article
Congress should not encourage censorship whenever someone baselessly alleges defamation

Published April 21, 2023 Seth Stern