FOIA, Access to Hearings at Greatest Risk from Secrecy

Two useful resources from journalists' document efforts to close the doors of government as the public continues to worry about the safety of our communities. In its third edition of its report on government secrecy in the name of fighting terrorists, The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press draws on the much-maligned color-coded system the federal government uses to inform the public about our nation's safety to identify the areas most threatened by the government's push for greater secrecy. Written for reporters, the report is an in-depth and up-to-date primer of the issues and obstacles reporters face in covering the war in Iraq, the rules recently established for press coverage of military tribunals, access to administrative and court proceedings related to terrorism and immigration cases, and other current issues of government secrecy. The report, "Homefront Confidential," provides a useful and detailed chronology of the federal government's drive to expand secrecy since September 11 and reviews actions state governments have taken to limit the public's right to know. The Reporters Committee also posts daily updates of threats to the public's right to know on its "Behind the Homefront" weblog at www.rcfp.org/behindthehomefront.
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