Open the Government

Keeping information about waste, fraud and abuse from the public is what is “insane”

In a meeting with his new acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan, the president called the practice of making watchdog reports about the U.S. military public “insane.” The president appears to take issue with reports issued by the so-called SIGAR—the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction—which track reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and expose waste, fraud and

Protecting the public’s right to know about the Special Counsel’s investigation

More than three quarters of Americans think the report on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into foreign influence in the 2016 presidential election should be released to the public. Yet the regulations governing Mueller’s appointment do not require that the report be made available to anyone – whether Congress or the public. Instead, the regulations

Public remains in the dark after abrupt Syria withdrawal announcement

Just two days before President Donald Trump announced via Twitter that he would be immediately withdrawing American troops from Syria, Ambassador James Jeffrey, the U.S. special representative on Syria engagement, told the Atlantic Council that the U.S. military would be staying in Syria until a United Nations-brokered political solution to the country’s war was decided.

Bill to Protect Special Counsel Mueller Could Be a Litmus Test for Government Accountability and Transparency

The Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act that is stalled in the Senate protects Mueller and the integrity of the investigation deserves full bipartisan support.

Join our team

Open the Government Fellowship Program: Spring 2019 OTG is seeking a research fellow for the spring of 2019 (January – May) to contribute to the coalition’s work to make the federal government more open, responsive, and accountable to the public.

Secretary Nielsen’s Exit Would Leave Behind Trail of Secrecy About Border Policies, Missing children

If the president follows through on his threats to ask Secretary Nielsen to resign, she will leave the administration with a trail of unanswered questions about policies that destroyed the lives of hundreds of families. It will be up to Congress and the public to unearth her buried secrets about border policies, and ensure all

Ivanka Trump and James Comey’s Emails from Personal Accounts Violate Presidential and Federal Records Acts

By sending emails in her official capacity as White House staff through a personal email account, Ivanka Trump violated the Presidential Records Act. Trump’s claim that she was not familiar with the details of rules prohibiting the use of personal email accounts for official business strains credulity, given the public and policymaker attention this matter

Migrant caravan illustrates greater accountability for U.S. immigration policy south of the border is needed

OTG joins openness advocates, human rights defenders and journalists in Mexico forum As a caravan of thousands of asylum-seeking migrants journey north towards the U.S.-Mexico border, advocates are aligning efforts to increase access to information on immigration enforcement practices in both countries. The relentless misinformation surrounding the caravan shows the serious secrecy challenges faced by

Congress calls for greater transparency and accountability from the Pentagon for police militarization

The Pentagon’s controversial program that fuels police forces with surplus weapons of war is mired in secrecy and lacks sufficient oversight. This aspect of the initiative has not improved since government watchdog investigators posed as fake cops last year to expose just how easily the dangerous weapons could fall into the wrong hands. Thankfully, some

OTG & POGO call for answers from Secretary Nielsen about newly disclosed memo on family separation

Today, Open the Government and the Project On Government Oversight are calling for Congress to question Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen about her statements made under oath regarding the administration’s practice of separating children from their parents at the border. OTG and POGO recently obtained an internal memo in response to a FOIA request that contradicts statements

Open the Government is an inclusive, nonpartisan coalition that works to strengthen our democracy and empower the public by advancing policies that create a more open, accountable, and responsive government.