Goodbye Bush, Hello Openness?

Goodbye Bush, Hello Openness?

As one of the most secretive presidential administrations in history gets ready to close up shop, it's closing a few more things -- records.

Over the past few months, some federal agencies have issued rules that would eliminate public disclosure of information -- or, in some cases, make it more difficult for requesters to get information.

Some agencies have passed rules that would eliminate the "public interest balancing test" in determining whether to release information to the public, while others have simply upped the fees they can charge for public records.

Agencies Move to Restrict FOIA Access in Last-Minute Regs (Pro Publica, 5 January 2009)