Today in #OpenGov 4/4/2014

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Keep reading for today’s look at #OpenGov news, events and analysis including doctor data, an end to Turkey’s twitter ban, and upgrading election records.series-opengov-today

National News

  • A Congressional panel called on the Inspector General for the Commerce department to fire two of his top whistleblower protection managers for trying to silence two former employees. (Washington Post)
  • The Senate Intelligence Committee voted 11-2 in favor of releasing key portions of their report on the CIA’s detention and interrogation programs. (Roll Call)
  • The White House announced that HHS would begin releasing huge amounts of data about how Medicare pays individual doctors for specific medical services and procedures. (Reuters)

International News

  • Turkey has ended its two week attempt to ban Twitter after the country’s highest court ruled against the block. (The Hill)
  • Despite questions of surveillance and government overreach, civil society in the former Soviet country Georgia is heartened by the amount of data their government makes available, despite its messy state. (Tech President)

State and Local News

  • In many jurisdictions, collecting and storing election records is an anachronistic and opaque practice. Massachusetts is trying out a new system, ElectionStats, that digitizes voting records and puts them online. ElectionStats’ creator says that the system should work in any state.  (Government Technology)
  • The Republican Governors Association had its best fundraising first-quarter ever, despite controversy surrounding its chairman Chris Christie (NJ). (Washington Times)

Events Today 4/4

  • 4/04 Day: Lawmaking in the open. Congressional Data Coalition. Fri. 4/4. 10:30 – 12:00 pm. 1310 Longworth House Office Building.
  • 4/04 Day Happy Hour. Congressional Data Coalition. Fri. 4/4. 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm. The Loft, 600 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20001. 

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