Government lawyers have a duty to disclose evidence of wrongdoing in the government.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
If you're going to educate the public and tell them how things happen in the courtroom, then you really owe them the duty to do it right. Don't misinform.
People should be allowed to document evidence of criminal wrongdoing. Where is the expectation of privacy if someone is conspiring to commit crime?
Using these unnamed sources, if done properly, carefully and fairly, provides more accountability in government.
The DISCLOSE Act is a testament to the wisdom of the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United. The First Amendment sought to place political speech beyond the government's control, and we can be glad that it did.
The government can still conduct clandestine searches of innocent people's private information such as library, medical, and financial records. This is wrong and should have been addressed in a true compromise.
What we've seen in government for so often is that people have been shady - about their roles, hiding things, not releasing things.
Is it government's job to make up for someone's mistakes?
I think that lawyers are terrible at admitting that they're wrong. And not just admitting it - also realizing it.
Lawyers, judges, doctors, shrinks, accountants, investigators and, not least, journalists could not do the most basic tasks without a veil of secrecy. Why shouldn't the same be true of those professionals who happen to be government officials?
There are, for example, exemptions in FOIA in which the government can withhold certain kinds of information, and the courts have recognized that there is certain documentation that do deserve protection, that certain privileges do apply and do deserve protection.