The Washington Independent

Posts Tagged National Security Archive

White House Issues Transparency Directive and Progress Report

By | 12.08.09 | 12:54 pm

Following up on President Obama’s Transparency Memoranda signed on his first day in office, the White House today issued two new documents pledging openness: An “open government directive” instructing the heads of federal departments and agencies to take specific actions to open their operations to More…

Behind the Musical Torture

By | 10.22.09 | 3:20 pm

R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Billy Bragg and David Byrne don’t like to think of music as torture, or part of any “enhanced interrogation techniques.” But declassified government documents show that at least some music — notably, Metallica, Britney Spears and some unidentified rap music, according to a 2004 Defense Department report More…

Justice Groups Press for ‘State Secrets’ Legislation

By | 09.24.09 | 3:31 pm

Seven major civil rights and open government organizations today sent a letter to leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees urging them to pass legislation to restrict the government’s ability to use the “state secrets” privilege to dismiss litigation charging government wrongdoing. Although the Obama administration yesterday announced a More…

JFK Lawsuit Tests Washington’s Culture of Secrecy

By | 12.08.08 | 9:10 am

Last month dozens of public interest groups welcomed the election of Barack Obama with a call to reverse eight years of secrecy and restore openness in the executive branch.

It won’t be easy. While the non-profit National Security Archive and other groups are More…