Archives for February 2015

Making Your Job Easier With Open Government

Cause of Action’s Executive Director, Dan Epstein, joined experts in the open government field as they shared tools, tips, and tricks to make congressional staff more effective on the job. Learn more about the event here.

Download his presentation here: Transparency Tools Training

 

Newsmax: Obama Administration Refuses to Release IRS Targeting Documents

Read the full story: Newsmax

The Obama administration is refusing to release more than 500 documents related to the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of conservative groups as investigations continue into the scandal, according to The Hill… TIGTA has come under fire in the past from outside groups for refusing to be forthcoming with other FOIA requests. Cause of Action, a nonprofit group, sued TIGTA after announcing in December that the agency refused to turn over more than 2,000 documents.

 

Washington Free Beacon: Obama Admin Stonewalling FOIA Requests on IRS Scandal

Read the full story: Washington Free Beacon

The Obama administration is refusing to release more than 500 documents to the Hill newspaper concerning the IRS targeting scandal, the paper reported Tuesday… As reported by the Washington Free Beacon, TIGTA has thwarted several other attempts to pry free more information on the IRS targeting scandal. TIGTA is blocking the release of roughly 2,500 documents related to its investigation sought by the watchdog group Cause of Action in a FOIA lawsuit.

The Hill: Obama administration won’t release IRS targeting documents

Read the full story: The Hill

TIGTA’s FOIA practices have come under criticism before. In the fall of last year, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia admonished the agency for its use of FOIA exemptions. Cause of Action, a nonprofit group that has sued TIGTA, announced in December that the agency declined to fork over more than 2,000 documents related to a FOIA request.

Cause of Action’s Statement on Senate Judiciary Committee Passing FOIA Improvement Act

Dan Epstein, Executive Director of Cause of Action, released the following statement today after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to send the FOIA Improvement Act to the Senate floor.

For too long, Washington bureaucrats have taken advantage of loopholes in FOIA law to try and keep the public in the dark, so it’s encouraging to see the new Congress make reforming the system a top priority. Cause of Action has always believed in real and meaningful transparency reforms, and we hope that the actions of the Senate today and the House earlier this week are continued positive steps to that end.

Cause of Action signs letter in support of FOIA reform.