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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California’s new transparency law increases police visibility and amplifies reporting, but the state is still resisting it
Recent courtroom wins in California have led to the release of new police shooting records under a new transparency law, but some government agencies have been resisting compliance.
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California AG refuses to rule out legal action against public records journalists, in new statements
'It's either the case that the Attorney General of California is ... suggesting he can [prosecute] just to intimidate those journalists—or that he doesn't know what California law says. I don't find either option very comforting.'
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How Trump’s government shutdown ground transparency to a halt
During Trump’s 35 day partial government shutdown—the longest in history—FOIA requests and FOIA litigation ground to a halt.
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New documents reveal details of the FBI’s dangerous practice of impersonating journalists
Every time a government agent impersonates a journalist to conduct its own investigation, they are putting countless real journalists at risk. The FBI has engaged in the practice for years while keeping its policies a secret, but thanks to documents released as part of a FOIA lawsuit by Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, we now know a little more.
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California transparency legislation could improve access to police records for journalists and the public
If SB 1421 and AB 748 become law in California, journalists and the public would be able to more easily access police records like misconduct history and body camera footage, like when officers kill or seriously injure a citizen.
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Revealed: The Justice Dept's secret rules for targeting journalists with FISA court orders
The Justice Dept has kept these FISA court rules for targeting journalists secret for years.
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Prisons are censoring publications that challenge state power
Many civil liberties violations and instances of state abuse that incarcerated people experience are rendered invisible from the rest of the country. Prisons are cracking down on incarcerated people’s rights to access information, learn, and read the news—a huge threat to the First and Fourth Amendments.
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Whistleblower Reality Winner sentenced to longest prison term in the history of federal leak cases
For alerting the public about hacking attempts on election infrastructure, Reality was given five years in jail.
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How corporations suppress disclosure of public records about themselves
Powerful corporations are increasingly deploying a diversity of tactics to subvert public records laws and prevent the disclosure of newsworthy documents about themselves.
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Beyond the blockade
Since 2012, Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) has accepted donations on behalf of WikiLeaks readers after Visa, Mastercard and PayPal instituted an extra-legal financial blockade of WikiLeaks in 2011 and 2012. When WikiLeaks started publishing classified State Department cables in conjunction with the New York Times and other papers …
