Government Transparency

"The General Assembly enacted the plan with the intent of discriminating against voters who favored non-Republican candidates," U.S. Circuit Court Judge Jim Wynn wrote in the majority opinion.

Just months before a suburban Chicago mayor was indicted on bribery charges, his replacement reportedly gave himself a massive raise with back pay. Nonprofit watchdog Project Six reported that interim Markham Mayor Ernest Blevins gave…

By Liz Essley Whyte & Ryan J. Foley  Center for Public Integrity & Associated Press A recent change in Iowa's tax code spared Mark Chelgren's machine shop, welding company and wheelchair-parts plant from paying sales tax when…

Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap alleges the group’s leadership is violating transparency laws and has excluded him from deliberations. By Jessica Huseman  ProPublica A Democratic member of the Presidential Advisory Commission…

Newly released email data shows two Republican not-yet-members potentially influencing a controversial letter — even as a Democratic member claims he was largely excluded from the process. By Jessica Huseman  ProPublica On Friday, in…

By David G. Savage  Tribune Washington Bureau WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court heard a powerful plea for reining in partisan gerrymandering, and a majority on Tuesday seemed to lean in favor of a potential landmark ruling that for the…

By Ryan J. Foley  Associated Press IOWA CITY, Iowa — An Oregon parent wanted details about school employees getting paid to stay home. A retired educator sought data about student performance in Louisiana. And college journalists in…

By Andrew DeMillo & Ryan J. Foley  Associated Press LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — In February, Arkansas lawmakers marked the 50-year anniversary of the Freedom of Information Act with a resolution calling it "a shining example of open…

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin natural resources officials are planning to meet for a social hour and dinner despite their pledge to give up informal meetings following complaints of violating open-meeting laws. The state's Department of…

By Tali Arbel  Associated Press NEW YORK — The telecom industry's lobbying muscle pushed a consumer privacy measure to a swift death in Congress. Republicans struck down Obama-era rules that would have imposed tight restrictions on…

By Hillel Italie  Associated Press NEW YORK — Whenever Donald Trump fumes about "fake news" or labels the press "the enemy of the people," First Amendment scholar David L. Hudson Jr. hears echoes of other presidents — but a breadth and…

By Arek Sarkissian  USA Today Network The Baltimore Gazette had its share of scoops leading up to the 2016 presidential election. But one stands out: Every presidential race since John F. Kennedy's election was rigged. That…

By Stuart Leavenworth & Adam Ashton  McClatchy WASHINGTON — Wondering who is visiting the White House? The web-based search has gone dark. Curious about climate change? Some government sites have been softened or taken down. Worried…

By Mizell Stewart III  Gannett/USA Today Network Rita Ward had a question: Why did a weekly listing of causes of death suddenly stop appearing in the local newspaper? It turned out the health department in Vanderburgh County,…

WHEATON — About 18,000 callers participated in a telephone town hall hosted by U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, a suburban Chicago Republican who has been criticized for canceling smaller in-person meetings and declining debates. The Chicago…