National News

• The MPAA is trying a new strategy to improve their often rocky relationship with the technology industry. The group, helmed by former Senator Chris Dodd, is hiring two employees to work out of Silicon Valley as they try to get the Internet to come around to their views on copyright. (The Hill)
• Two well connected Clinton State Department officials are teaming up with the former Staff Director for the House Intelligence Committee on a new lobbying and consulting firm. The move has angered some House members and watchdogs who are focused on Benghazi. (Washington Times)
• Uber, the app that lets you easily hire a car or cab, has come up against political opposition in various municipalities across the country. But, they are taking a very un-start up like approach to political advocacy, hiring top notch lobbyists and running aggressive media campaigns. In DC, where they’ve been highly successful, this strategy helped Uber run circles around local taxi interests and get pretty much everything they wanted.  (POLITICO)

International News

• A law being considered in France would require greater financial asset transparency from public and elected officials. It also appears to mandate that the disclosures be made available as open data. (EPSI Platform)
• A new report finds that two-thirds of parliaments around the world fail to conduct strong oversight on their governments’ defense programs. TI estimates that corruption in defense costs at least $20 billion annually worldwide. (Transparency International)
• Is Obama’s foreign policy doctrine one of open government? This piece argues that Obama’s continued interest in the topic and appointment of Samantha Power to the UN might mean just that. It also argues that the open government way, to hash out issues with local constituencies, is consistent with Obama’s hesitancy to jump into global conflicts.  (Global Integrity)

State and Local News

• Public transit creates great heaps of data, much of it made open, that when analyzed should be able to improve operations and user experiences. (Government Technology)
• AxisPhilly, a local journalism start up, runs OpenDataPhilly, a data portal that helped spark and sustain Philadelphia’s thriving civic hacking community. But now the startup is roiling with turmoil and OpenDataPhilly’s future is uncertain. (Technical.ly / Philly)

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