2Day in #OpenGov 1/12/2012

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Policy Fellow Matt Rumsey wrote this post.

Here is  Thursday’s look at transparency-related news items, congressional committee hearings, transparency-related bills introduced in Congress, and transparency-related events.

News Roundup:

International
  • WhatDoTheyKnow.com, a site dedicated to making it easier for people in the UK to make and track Freedom of Information requests, has been used to send 100,000 requests since February 2008. (MySociety)
  • Weak whistleblower protection laws and pervasive threats of retribution keep many Latin Americans from reporting corruption. The recent Central American and Dominican Republic Forum for Transparency outlined reforms that could help the situation. (Transparency International)

Government

  • Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) plans to introduce legislation to serve as an alternative to SOPA when the house comes back into session next week. The legislation will be a companion to a bill introduced in the Senate by Ron Wyden (D-OR). (National Journal)
  • The Research Works Act, introduced in the House of Representatives, could limit public access to taxpayer-funded research and provide a set-back to open access to information. (Tech President)
Campaign Finance
  • Super PACs and the candidates they support are not allowed to explicitly coordinate their activities. But, that doesn’t stop them from watching and parroting each other’s ads. (Washington Post)
  • According to a new study, four times more employees at major companies claim to have witnessed illegal contributions to public officials this year than in 2009. (Roll Call $)
  • Editorial: Congress should amend its ethics rules to require a “fundraising quiet period” during non-election years. (Politico)

Relevant committee hearings scheduled for 1/12:

  • None.

Relevant bills introduced:

  • None.
Transparency events scheduled for 1/12:

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