In today's edition, we dig into what Walter Shaub's resignation means for the Office of Government Ethics, explain why official communications need to be preserved, and think about how data can really be leveraged to make a difference. Read on for all that and much more.
Continue readingResignation of top US ethics official calls attention to Trump’s unresolved conflicts
Shaub's resignation should be taken as a bat signal to Members of Congress who, despite reams evidence of unresolved conflicts, have been far too reticent to oversee ethics in government or threats to transparency under the Trump administration.
Continue readingToday in OpenGov: One lobbyist’s Mega Millions jackpot
Read on for today's roundup of open government news including the latest on President Trump's war with the media, top tips to win your FOIA appeal, evidence based approaches to fighting the opioid epidemic, and much more.
Continue readingToday in OpenGov: An illustrated guide to transparency
In today's roundup of open government news we highlight the sketch artists that have long helped shed light on otherwise closed government proceedings, celebrate the return of the Congress App for Android, keep up with the latest backlash against the President's "voter fraud" commission, cheer on open data advances in several cities, check out open data portals in Latin America, and more.
Continue readingWhen recording bans leave the public in the dark, illustrators shed light
After the White House’s decision to bar recording, a CNN sketch artist document the press briefing. Long before livestreams on YouTube, however, illustrations have been a key medium used to inform the public about courts, hearings and speeches with limited access.
Continue readingToday in OpenGov: Body-slamming democracy
As we prepare to celebrate essential unalienable American rights tomorrow, we see fundamental values under siege around the world, from DC to the Phillipines. Our founding fathers enacted the First Amendment for a reason: free and independent press is critical in a healthy democracy, acting as an immune system against corruption, restricted rights, and tyranny. We will be taking tomorrow off to celebrate Independence Day, but will return on Wednesday with all the latest open government news.
Continue readingToday in OpenGov: What lobbyists lurk in the shadows of Washington?
In today's edition, we look at shadow lobbying, share some good news from DC, explore what's working in cities, and collect dispatches from Trumplandia. Read on for more of the latest open government news from Washington and around the United States.
Continue readingRollCall analysis finds Members of Congress aren’t transparent about their own taxes
In the most comprehensive reporting we've seen on the availability of Congressional returns we've seen this year, Stephanie Akin and Sean McMinn looked for what was publicly disclosed and then systematically contacted every Member to see what was available. The result is a database that will inform the public about his or her Member of Congress' personal commitment to tax transparency.
Continue readingHere’s how city officials can make open data more useful
City leaders are brainstorming new strategies to make government data more appealing and useful to their residents. Find out how we're helping cities to be more open with members of their communities seeking public information.
Continue readingToday in OpenGov: Money talks
Jason Chaffetz, who until recently was the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, provided a partial explanation for his decision to leave Congress with more than a year left in his current term: It's about the money. He called serving in Congress a "rich man's game" while suggesting a housing stipend to help lawmakers afford the high cost of living in Washington, D.C Read on for more on the various ways that money influences politics and all the latest open government news from Washington, DC and around the US.
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