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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
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