NEWS ROUNDUP: Government

• FTC offers prize for blocking robocalls: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is offering $50,000 to whoever can make the best robocall blocker. The challenge is open through January 2013. (GovTech)

• .gov links targeted in spam scam: Government websites with a .gov URL are being targeted in a spam scam, according to Symantec.  (GovTech)

• Whistleblower pleads guilty: A former CIA officer accused of leaking the identities of two former colleagues to journalists pleaded guilty to one charge, but prosecutors dropped several other charges. John Kiriakou will be sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison under the plea deal. (New York Times)

NEWS ROUNDUP: Government

• DOJ, FBI ordered to pay up after denying FOIA: The FBI and Department of Justice owe a journalist nearly $500,000 in attorney fees after denying a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request he filed seeking information about former President Ronald Reagan. A judge ruled the two federal departments were wrong to withhold the information.  (Courthouse News)

NEWS ROUNDUP: Government

• WhiteHouse.gov's new wardrobe: The White House launched a refreshed web portal that aims to provide clear paths to information and improve ease of use. Macon Phillips, White House Director of Digital Strategy, noted that the changes were an attempt to apply lessons learned through previous updates. (FedScoop)
• Federal websites need some work: A new survey found that most federal websites make significant errors when it comes to usability, accessibility, and search engine optimization. According to the study, the FAA, CIA, and Homeland Security scored highest over a variety of categories. (Government Technology)

NEWS ROUNDUP: Government

• DoD doubles down on leaks: In a memo released yesterday Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta reaffirmed the Pentagon's commitment to tracking down and punishing leakers. The DoD will impliment a "top down" approach, including the review of major media sources for leaked information, in their efforts to find individuals who release classified information into the public domain. (POGO)
• SEC seeing better tips: The SECs whistleblower office, which opened just over a year ago, has already received nearly 3,000 tips from around the world. According to SEC commisioner Luis Aguilar, the quality of information received has gone up significantly since the implementation of a Dodd-Frank Act program that provides rewards to whistleblowers whose information leads to enforcement cases with penalties over $1 million. (Wall Street Journal)

NEWS ROUNDUP: Government

• SEC records mismanagement? A new report from the SECs Inspector General reveals that the agencies records management practices are in disorder. The agency disputed the finding, claiming that they had made improvements, including the appointment of their first archivist in 2007, that were not noted in the report. (Federal Computer Week)
• GPO and Treasury team up: The US Government Printing Office is teaming up with the Treasury department for a pilot program that would put historic information from the Treasury Library on the GPO's online document depository FDsys. (FDLP)

NEWS ROUNDUP: Government

• Tangherlini talks innovation: Dan Tangherlini, acting administrator of the GSA, outlined some avenues towards innovationthat his agency is pursuing. Speaking at a seminar at George Washington University, he highlighted telecommuting, mobile devices, social media use, and crowdsourcing. (Executive Government)
• Romney to lobbyists- You're hired? Lobbyists are hopeful that if Mitt Romney wins the presidency his administration will be more open to hiring them than President Obama, who signed an executive order keeping many lobbyists from moving to jobs in the White House. (Politico)
• Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes: Several staff changes on K Street came to light today. Notably, a former chief of staff to Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) headed through the revloving door. Chelsey Pendrod Hickman is joining the Grossman Group as a lobbyist. (National Journal)
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NEWS ROUNDUP: Government

• Sequestration lobbying abounds: With sequestration, or automatic spending cuts, looming in the federal government, lobbying groups are increasing efforts to protect their special interests. They are also calling for revenue-raising measures.  (Government Executive)

• SEC receives poor marks on recordkeeping: The federal agency monitoring Wall Street records failed to properly handle its own records, according to a recent audit. The report showed Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) employees are not always clear about what records to keep and what to destroy, among other problems. (POGO)

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