Topic: Government Transparency

The Federal Government’s Latest Attempt to Delay the Release of Coronavirus Documents

June 23, 2020
Federal agencies have indicated they are attempting to delay the release of records related to White House efforts to control information — for up to two years.

Barr’s Policing Commission Undermines Community Trust and Violates Federal Law

June 19, 2020
American Oversight filed an amicus brief on behalf of current and former law enforcement leaders in support of NAACP's lawsuit against the commission.

News Roundup: The Administration’s Failure to Confront Two National Crises

June 19, 2020
The Trump administration's responses to the deadly coronavirus pandemic and to nationwide protests against systemic racism in law enforcement have been both harmful and insufficient.

Amicus Brief: NAACP v. Barr – Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice FACA Compliance

June 18, 2020
Amicus curiae brief on behalf of current and former prosecutors and law enforcement officials and leaders filed by American Oversight and Fair and Just Prosecution in support of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund in its litigation under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) regarding Attorney General William Barr’s Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice, arguing that FACA requires the commission to operate openly and transparently and to include a diversity of viewpoints.

DOI Records of Communications with White House Counsel Staff Regarding Congressional Oversight

June 17, 2020
Records from the Department of Interior in response to American Oversight's request for records reflecting communications between the agency and the White House Counsel staff regarding congressional oversight in light of the administration's unprecedented efforts to resist oversight.

News Roundup: Georgia’s Disastrous Election, the Administration’s Alarming Protest Response, and Barr’s Troubling Tenure

June 12, 2020
As stirring protests against police brutality gripped the nation’s attention and as the coronavirus continued its tragic spread through multiple states, Georgia held a chaotic primary election.

In the Documents: Florida Health Department Efforts to Suppress Release of Coronavirus Records

June 11, 2020
As confirmed cases of the coronavirus rise in Florida and elsewhere around the country, the Sunshine State’s lack of transparency regarding data reporting has come under intense criticism.

Tips for Filing Public Records Requests in Your State or City

June 1, 2020
As many cities have seen law enforcement respond to protests with increasing violence, American Oversight has compiled a list of strategies to help journalists, activists, and others use public records requests to hold government accountable.

Essex County, New Jersey, Order from ICE to Stop Sharing Information on COVID Test Results of Detainees

May 19, 2020
Records from Essex County, New Jersey, of a letter from Immigration and Customs Enforcement ordering county facilities to stop sharing information about detainee coronavirus test results with the public.

Palm Beach County, Fla., Records Regarding Processing Guidance Related to Records Requests Concerning Covid-19

May 19, 2020
Records from Palm Beach County, Florida, in response to American Oversight's request for records regarding the processing of public records requests that seek records concerning the coronavirus outbreak, including, but not limited to, records about how public agencies or officials are responding to the outbreak.