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donal brown

Federal court rules government cannot invoke ‘secret law’

donal brown July 21, 2009

In a case involving the export of rifle scopes, the court said the government failed to specify which items that were subject to export regulations making the too vague for the public to comply with. -DB Secrecy News Federation of American Scientists July 20, 2009 “Government must operate through public laws and regulations” and not through “secret law,” a federal appellate court declared in a decision last month.  When our government attempts to do otherwise, the

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Los Angeles plans to shift records from software to Google

donal brown July 21, 2009

The Los Angeles City Council will decide whether to shift e-mails and other public records from its antiquated records retention software to a Google service which experts say could improve public access. The police department is concerned that sensitive arrest records would not be secure in the event of the shift. -DB Los Angeles Times July 17, 2009 By David Zahniser and Phil Willon Frustrated by a slow and antiquated computer system, the city of Los

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Sotomayor indicates support for cameras in Supreme Court

donal brown July 20, 2009

In Senate confirmation hearings, Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor said she favored camera access in the high court but said should she be confirmed she would act with circumspection in making her views known to the Court. -DB First Amendment Center Analysis July 16, 2009 By Tony Mauro WASHINGTON, D.C. — If the Senate confirms Sonia Sotomayor as the next justice on the Supreme Court, she may become the most unabashed supporter of camera access the

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New recovery transparency czar promises nonpartisan stance

donal brown July 20, 2009

Head of the new stimulus oversight board says there will be times that information posted on Recovery.gov will embarrass bodies receiving stimulous money but promises to conduct thorough monitoring of spending to prevent waste and fraud. -DB National Journal July 16, 2009 By John Maggs After 10 years as inspector general of the Interior Department, Earl Devaney is on leave to head up the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, an oversight panel set up to put

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Appeals court rules that police officers’ complaints not protected speech

donal brown July 20, 2009

In a split decision, a federal appeals court ruled that officers’ complaints about a superior’s conduct were not a public concern and therefore not protected speech. The dissenting judge said the officers had a right to voice their complaints since they addressed the performance, functioning and mismanagement of a public agency. -DB Metropolitan News-Enterprise July 14, 2009 By Kenneth Ofgang Complaints by police officers about their supervisors’ conduct are not protected by the First Amendment, the

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