President Obama asked for more transparency in government

[Casino67]

Baltimore Sun:

Dozens of journalism and open-government groups are urging President Obama to reverse media policies that they say amount to censorship and information suppression within his administration.

 

A letter sent last week to the president outlines examples of "information suppression." According to the letter, signed by 53 organizations, officials block reporters' requests to talk to specific staffers, delay answering requests until reporters' deadlines have passed, refuse to talk on the record and block reporters who write critically of the agencies.

 

For example, employees of the Food and Drug Administration, were forbidden to speak to reporters without being monitored by public information officers and other staffers about allegations that the agency had violated rules for storing smallpox and other dangerous materials.

"When researchers, administrators and experts cannot speak freely, it becomes impossible to get a full and honest picture of a government program or policy. Such secrecy only fuels distrust and gives members of the public a right to wonder what is being done in their

name, with their money," Mark Horvit, executive director of Investigative Reporters & Editors, said in a statement about the letter.