Transparency News 11/25/13
Monday, November 25, 2013
State and Local Stories
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Utah lawmakers are taking a proactive approach to government transparency by opening their email accounts to the public. The state will launch an online repository in January that will house legislator correspondence on the Utah Legislature’s website, giving citizens a closer look at the daily communications of their elected officials. The increased access was authorized by legislation signed by Utah Gov. Gary Herbert in March.
Government Technology
New Jersey lawmakers are moving to ban or limit the use of mug shots, including use by newspapers as well as websites that feature police-booking photos and offer to take the images down for a fee. State Sen. Teresa Ruiz, D-Essex, has introduced a bill that would prohibit website operators from accepting payments to remove mug shots and other personal identifying information obtained through the criminal justice system.
Asbury Park Press
A new slide leaked by Edward Snowden shows where the NSA infected more than 50,000 computer networks worldwide with malware, according to Dutch media outlet NRC. The NSA management presentation slide from 2012 shows a world map spiderwebbed with “Computer Network Exploitation” access points in more than 50,000 locations around the globe.
ZDNet
Missouri’s Commissioner of Education says she and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education did nothing unusual in working with a lobbyist on the development of a ballot initiative. The Missouri chapter of the National Education Association obtained and released e-mails exchanged among Chris Nicastro, staff members at DESE and Kate Casas, state policy director for the Children’s Education Council of Missouri. MNEA Political Director Mark Jones says those e-mails, “show a disturbing level of collusion and cooperation between a high-ranking official and a paid lobbyist.”
Missourinet
A report on the investigation into the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting will be released Monday, Connecticut state officials announced. The report will provide a summary of the almost yearlong investigation of the December 14, 2012, shooting that left 26 people dead, including 20 children. The family of Victoria Soto, a teacher who shielded her students before being shot to death, said the release of the report is "yet another blow that our family has been dealt." The report, which will be available on the office's website Monday afternoon, is separate from a much longer evidence file that Connecticut State Police will release at an unspecified date.
CNN
Roger Chesley, Virginian-Pilot: Which works best: a city council elected at large, by district or by some combination of the two? It's a debate that rears its municipal head from time to time, usually generated by some squabble that spotlights the pros and cons of the various types of councils. The issue garnered renewed attention this week, after The Pilot's Tim Eberly reported about a gated Portsmouth community featuring pricey homes. Three of the seven City Council members live on the same block. Given the squabbles between Mayor Kenny Wright, one resident of the subdivision, and the rest of the council, the adage "Good fences make good neighbors" is one to build on.
State and Local Stories
The two candidates for attorney general are gearing up for a recount in the closest statewide contest in modern Virginia history, pending today’s meeting in which the State Board of Elections will certify the results. State Sen. Mark R. Herring, the Democratic candidate, maintains a 165-vote lead over his Republican opponent, state Sen. Mark D. Obenshain — that’s about 0.007 percent of more than 2.2 million votes cast statewide — following extensive canvassing in several localities. If a candidate is within one-half of a percentage point, the state will pay for a recount. If the margin is between one-half of a percentage point and 1 percentage point, a candidate can urge a recount at his own expense. Charles E. Judd, chairman of the elections board, expects a recount. “We’re probably looking at the middle of December. It will be a long day for some localities,” Judd said Friday.
Times-Dispatch
National Stories
The Washington Times is suing the Department of Homeland Security in Maryland federal court for what it alleges was an unlawful search and seizure of a reporter's newsgathering material. Former Times reporter Audrey Hudson’s home was searched by the Maryland State Police and federal officials on Aug. 6. The warrant permitted them to search for unregistered firearms and a potato launcher belonging to Hudson’s husband. But officials also took documents from the home, including Hudson's reporting notes naming confidential sources in the Department of Homeland Security, the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Air Marshal Service. The Washington Times also reported that the documents, once in police custody, were removed from the evidence holding room for one hour on Sept. 3 without a record of why they were removed or what was done with them.Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Utah lawmakers are taking a proactive approach to government transparency by opening their email accounts to the public. The state will launch an online repository in January that will house legislator correspondence on the Utah Legislature’s website, giving citizens a closer look at the daily communications of their elected officials. The increased access was authorized by legislation signed by Utah Gov. Gary Herbert in March.
Government Technology
New Jersey lawmakers are moving to ban or limit the use of mug shots, including use by newspapers as well as websites that feature police-booking photos and offer to take the images down for a fee. State Sen. Teresa Ruiz, D-Essex, has introduced a bill that would prohibit website operators from accepting payments to remove mug shots and other personal identifying information obtained through the criminal justice system.
Asbury Park Press
A new slide leaked by Edward Snowden shows where the NSA infected more than 50,000 computer networks worldwide with malware, according to Dutch media outlet NRC. The NSA management presentation slide from 2012 shows a world map spiderwebbed with “Computer Network Exploitation” access points in more than 50,000 locations around the globe.
ZDNet
Missouri’s Commissioner of Education says she and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education did nothing unusual in working with a lobbyist on the development of a ballot initiative. The Missouri chapter of the National Education Association obtained and released e-mails exchanged among Chris Nicastro, staff members at DESE and Kate Casas, state policy director for the Children’s Education Council of Missouri. MNEA Political Director Mark Jones says those e-mails, “show a disturbing level of collusion and cooperation between a high-ranking official and a paid lobbyist.”
Missourinet
A report on the investigation into the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting will be released Monday, Connecticut state officials announced. The report will provide a summary of the almost yearlong investigation of the December 14, 2012, shooting that left 26 people dead, including 20 children. The family of Victoria Soto, a teacher who shielded her students before being shot to death, said the release of the report is "yet another blow that our family has been dealt." The report, which will be available on the office's website Monday afternoon, is separate from a much longer evidence file that Connecticut State Police will release at an unspecified date.
CNN
Editorials/Columns
Donald Luzzatto, Virginian-Pilot: This is the only spot in the newspaper where I get to say what I want about what I want. Even that's not entirely true. Like everyone who writes for the Opinion section of this newspaper, I have an editor, and thank goodness. Op-ed editor Daryl Lease reviews what I write for coherence, clarity, grammar and the absence of cuss words. Every consonant and vowel must pass his muster before it is imposed on you. But the ideas and their expression are my responsibility. . . . If you're willing to sign your name to your opinion (hardly a high bar), you should have an opportunity to be heard. It doesn't mean you will always find a spot on our limited pages, though there's always room at PilotOnline.com. We do reject pieces that clearly and unequivocally fall outside the realm of reason (the Earth is flat) or are flatly wrong (the Norfolk City Council rezoned something it didn't) or are inspired by animus (left-handed people are criminals). But we'll usually lean toward including more responsible voices rather than less.Roger Chesley, Virginian-Pilot: Which works best: a city council elected at large, by district or by some combination of the two? It's a debate that rears its municipal head from time to time, usually generated by some squabble that spotlights the pros and cons of the various types of councils. The issue garnered renewed attention this week, after The Pilot's Tim Eberly reported about a gated Portsmouth community featuring pricey homes. Three of the seven City Council members live on the same block. Given the squabbles between Mayor Kenny Wright, one resident of the subdivision, and the rest of the council, the adage "Good fences make good neighbors" is one to build on.
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