First Amendment News

Moderate candidates in the Iranian presidential election on June 12 are criticizing a government move to close down Facebook and prevent them from mobilizing the youth vote. -DB Kansas City Star May 24, 2009 By ALI AKBAR DAREINI Associated Press Writer Iran’s decision to block access to Facebook – less than three weeks before nationwide elections – drew sharp criticism Sunday from a reformist opposition hoping to mobilize the youth vote and unseat President Mahmoud

Visalia Mayor Jesus Gamboa says he had no intention of denying developers a chance to comment on issues affecting their work. The developers say the mayor has not regularly opened meetings for public comment. –DB The Fresno Bee May. 21, 2009 By Lewis Griswold Developers in Visalia complain they are being ignored when issues affecting their industry come before the Visalia council during work sessions, and they blame Mayor Jesus Gamboa for not opening the

Citizens claim the Industry City Council broke the Brown Act when they approved an environmental report on a proposed National Football League stadium. The city attorney said that for environmental reports the law does not require public hearings. –DB San Gabriel Valley Tribune May 21, 2009 By Amanda Baumfeld INDUSTRY, Calif. – A citizen’s group believes the City Council violated the state’s public meeting laws when it approved a supplemental environmental report on a proposed

A panel of experts told a committee of the House of Representatives that the National Archives and Records Administration is failing to conserve agency electronic records, especially e-mails. -DB Nextgov.com May 21, 2009 By Jill R. Aitoro The government’s practices in preserving electronic records is “fatally flawed,” and the National Archives and Records Administration must enforce stricter policies to store agencies records, especially e-mail messages, a panel of records management professionals told a House hearing

Recently appointed federal chief information officer, Vivek Kundra, is energized by the prospect of harnessing technology to increase transparency and tap into citizens’ ideas to improve government. -DB Nextgov.com May 20, 2009 Since his appointment in March as federal chief information officer, Vivek Kundra has had a full plate. Also the e-government administrator at the Office of Management and Budget, Kundra has taken on the formidable task of increasing the transparency of government data and