CJOG News http://www.cjog.net/index.html The latest news from the Coalition of Journalists for Open Government. CJOG News http://www.cjog.net/index.html http://www.cjog.net/cjognews.gif Scientists Balk at New Publication, Speech Rules http://www.cjog.net/index.html#2058 Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey say the administration's policy of reviewing prepared talks and scientific documents before publication is impeding efforts to provide information to the public. The agency says the rule, announced in July, is a form of peer review, intended to insure that . . . Administration Appeals Order to Disclose Vice President's Visitor Log http://www.cjog.net/index.html#2057 The Bush Administration asked the federal appeals court in the District of Columbia to overturn a lower court ruling that the White House must make public a list of visitors to the vice president's office and residence. The Justice Department argued in a 57-page brief that the disclosure would be . . . Justice Using Grand Jury Subpoena Power to Recover Document http://www.cjog.net/index.html#2056 The Justice Department is using a grand jury subpoena in an effort to get a record leaked to the ACLU. The struggle for the document could have wide-ranging implications for journalists. The ACLU said that if grand jury subpoenas can be used to seize all copies of leaked documents, journalists . . . An Agenda for Open Government http://www.cjog.net/protest.html#2055 The recent elections and the resulting change in congressional control have altered the climate for open government in Washington. The new leadership of both the House and Senate are talking about greater transparency and offering proposals to open the lawmaking process. The Coaltion outlines some . . . Bioterrorism Bill Approved, With Narrower Limits on Secrets, Sunset Clause http://www.cjog.net/index.html#2053 Congress passed legislation that will revamp the Bush administration's $5.6 billion effort to counter bioterrorism threats. The bill creates a statutory exemption from FOIA for sensitive technical and scientific data on bioterrorism defense efforts. That provision is sharply scaled back . . . Sen. Leahy Hits Administration Secrecy, Pledges Open Government Priority http://www.cjog.net/index.html#2052 Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT., the incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a speech at the Georgetown University Law Center that the administration is " the first administration in modern times that is explicitly hostile to the public's right to know" and has . . . Rep. Waxman to Establish Information Policy Subcommittee http://www.cjog.net/index.html#2051 The incoming chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-CA., will form a new subcommittee on information policy, an indication he plans to push legislation and oversight in the areas of access and freedom of information. Waxman unsuccessfully introduced transparency . . . The Sunshine State Gets a Little Sunnier http://www.cjog.net/index.html#2050 Florida Governor-Elect Charlie Crist, in his first official act, announced that he will open an Open Government unit in the governor's office. The new section will give the governor's office and state agencies guidance in how to quickly and completely fill public records requests and provide . . . Appeals Court to Allow TV Coverage of Obscenity Case Arguments http://www.cjog.net/index.html#2049 The 2nd District U.S. Court of Appeals granted a C-Span request to televise the Dec. 20 arguments in a case challenging FCC profanity rulings against the Fox network for a Billboard Awards broadcast that contained variants of the F-word and S-word by Cher and Nicole Richie. The agency said the . . . Reporter's Shield Law Wins Key Support in Texas http://www.cjog.net/index.html#2043 The Austin American-Statesman reports that key Texas legislators are close to agreement on a law giving reporters a qualified privilege to protect confidential sources. And the limited shield provisions have the support of Texas prosecutors, whose opposition killed broader shield legislation in . . . Geoffrey Stone: Wrong Turns Highlight Need for More Open Government http://www.cjog.net/commentary.html#2042 From the day it took office, writes Prof. Geoffrey R. Stone, the Bush administration has wrapped itself in unprecedented secrecy. "It intentionally hid critical information about its deliberations and decisions from Congress, the courts, the press, and the American people. ? As we learn more . . . The Troubling Dimensions of Administration's Secrecy Policies http://www.cjog.net/commentary.html#2041 International Relation Center editor John Feffer writes of the "troubling dimensions" of the Bush administration's extension of secrecy to foreign policy matters which he said had limited the checks and balances of Congress. He discusses some of the secrecy techniques employed by the . . . Labor Department Sets Forum on Its FOIA Performance http://www.cjog.net/index.html#2040 The Department of Labor has scheduled a Dec. 18 public forum on ways it can improve its handling of Freedom of Information Act requests. The department has one of the lowest FOIA request backlogs of any federal agency but some of its component units report slow response times. The forum is . . . Labor Department Sets Forum on Its FOIA Performance http://www.cjog.net/index.html#2039 The Department of Labor has scheduled a Dec. 18 public forum on ways it can improve its handling of Freedom of Information Act requests. The department has one of the lowest FOIA request backlogs of any federal agency but some of its component units report slow response times. The forum is . . . Lacking Presidential OK, Declassification Board Has Yet to Act http://www.cjog.net/index.html#2038 Six years after it was created, the Public Interest Declassification Board has yet to recommend the declassification of a single page of records. It took awhile for the White House and Congress to appoint members. Now the hangup is their charter: The board can't declassify anything without . . .