Reform Government Secrecy

A pile of classified redacted documents

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.

Fight boat strike secrecy

Demand transparency around lethal targeting of alleged drug boats.

  1. Write a letter telling Congress to read DOJ memo into public record

    The public deserves to scrutinize the legal rationale behind the deadly attacks on alleged drug boats, but the administration is keeping the Department of Justice memo secret. Congress can change that — but it needs to hear from you to act.

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    Thank you for asking Congress to read the boat strike memo into the Congressional Record.

    Share this message on social media: The public deserves to scrutinize the legal rationale behind the deadly attacks on alleged drug boats, but the administration is keeping the memo secret.

    Congress can change that today.

    Use our action center tool to tell Congress to read the memo into the Congressional Record.

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    FOIA Lawsuit No. 5: My Attempt to Access the Secret Report Claiming Snowden’s Leaks Could Damage National Security

    FOIAArticle

    Last month, Shane Harris published a report in Foreign Policy revealing that that the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) prepared a report and concluded Edward Snowden’s leaks and the news reports on the top-secret documents he disclosed could “gravely impact” national security.   The Foreign Policy report quoted House Intelligence Committee Chairman …

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    Highlights From Daniel Ellsberg’s Reddit AMA on Edward Snowden and NSA Surveillance

    SurveillanceArticle

    Pentagon Papers whistleblower (and our co-founder) Daniel Ellsberg held an expansive, seven-hour long Reddit “Ask Me Anything” session yesterday to explain why NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden will join our board of directors. He also discussed many other subjects—including NSA surveillance, President Obama’s flip-flop on whistleblowers, Nixon’s dirty tricks, and …

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    Intel Committee Publishes Fact-Free Press Release About Secret 'Damage' Assessments of NSA Leaks

    LeaksArticle

    House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Mike Rogers and his Democractic counterpart Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger published a press release today touting a classified Defense Department report alleging that Edward Snowden’s leaks—and by proxy, stories published by news organizations—threaten national security and “are likely to have lethal consequences for our troops in …

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    EXCLUSIVE: Clapper Memo Reveals Rationale Behind NSA Review Group Secrecy

    SecrecyArticle

    <!--//--><![CDATA[// ><!-- DV.load("//www.documentcloud.org/documents/808719-clapper-memo-exempting-nsa-review-group-from-faca.js", { width: 600, height: 600, sidebar: false, text: false, pdf: false, page: 2, container: "#DV-viewer-808719-clapper-memo-exempting-nsa-review-group-from-faca" }); //--><!]]> When President Obama announced last August that he would take steps to try and win back public confidence in the wake of a series of troubling disclosures by The Guardian …

GETTY IMAGES/Alex Kent

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