The Trump secrecy assessment
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.
Featured Items
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Journalists must be able to cover America’s incarcerated
Legal brief challenges secrecy around injuries and deaths in San Diego County jails
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Give journalists the floor
Mississippi shouldn’t copy other states by banning journalists from the Senate floor
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Government gag rules muzzle journalists’ sources
Policies prohibiting government employees from speaking to the press violate the First Amendment
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Police secrets have no place in the Sunshine State
Officers who kill can’t keep their names hidden, the state's high court held, but law enforcement isn't done battling against accountability
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Ducking transparency: Open record reforms will undermine reporting
New Jersey lawmakers shouldn’t use a lame-duck session to gut the state’s public records law
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Courtroom door cracks open in Google antitrust trial
Thanks to pressure from the press, public access to the proceedings is finally improving
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Secrecy undermines trust in Google antitrust trial
The press and public shouldn’t be shut out from the Google antitrust case
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Judge gets it wrong in censoring the Post-Dispatch
An unconstitutional order once again extends a prior restraint on newspaper
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Freeze out: Politicians retaliate against the press using public notices
Anti-press lawmakers are attacking the press by yanking contracts to publish public notices or ending requirements to publish notices in newspapers entirely
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Financial censorship harms press freedom
GoFundMe blocked a publisher and won’t say why. Payment processors should be transparent about decisions to freeze or ban accounts
