WASHINGTON — At a time of continued government secrecy, the news media should press the presidential candidates on whether their administration would enforce “the spirit as well as the letter of the law” protecting the public’s right to know, says Associated Press President and CEO Tom Curley.华盛顿-在一段时间的持续，政府机密文件，新闻媒体要按下总统候选人，对他们是否政府将强制执行"的精神，以及为信法" ，保障市民的知情权，说美联社总统总裁兼首席执行官汤姆柯利。

“Secrecy is one of the handiest tools for government that wants to be accountable only to itself regardless of the spirit of any law,” he said March 18 in a national Sunshine Week speech. "保密就是其中的handiest工具，为政府，要成为负责任的，只有自己，无论精神，任何法律的， "他说，今年3月18日全国阳光星期讲话。

Curley praised congressional passage of legislation that toughened the Freedom of Information Act.柯利称赞国会通过立法，加重对资讯自由法。 But he chided Bush administration efforts that he said undercut the measure.但他指责布什政府的努力，他说，破坏的措施。

The presidential election provides a good opportunity to press for open-government policies, he said.总统大选提供了一个很好的机会，以新闻为开放式政府的政策，他说。

“We need to ask the candidates — at every opportunity until we have a clear answer — whether they are willing to appoint an attorney general willing to follow the spirit as well as the letter of the law that protects the people’s right to know what their government is doing,” Curley said in his speech at the National Press Club. "我们需要问的候选人-在每一个机会，除非我们有一个明确的答案-他们是否愿意任命一名总检察长愿意跟随精神以及法律的文字，保护人民群众的知情权他们的政府在做" ，柯利在讲话中说，在国家新闻俱乐部举行。

President Bush signed into law last December a toughened version of FOIA, the first such makeover to public-access laws in a decade.布希总统签署成为法律，于去年12月1增韧版foia ，首面貌，以公共获取的法律在十年了。 It establishes a hotline service for all federal agencies to deal with problems and an ombudsman to provide an alternative to litigation in disclosure disputes.它确立了热线电话服务，为所有联邦机构来处理问题，并设立监察员，以提供替代诉讼中披露的纠纷。

The legislation came partly in response to an order by former Attorney General John Ashcroft in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, in which he instructed agencies to lean against releasing information when there was uncertainty about how doing so would affect national security.立法前来部分是为了响应命令，由前司法部长阿什克罗夫特在经历了2001年9月11日，攻击，在其中他指示各机构对精益发布信息时，有不确定性，如何这样做会影响国家安全。 Although the legislation is aimed at reversing Ashcroft’s order, it fails to explicitly do so.虽然立法是旨在扭转阿什克罗夫特的命令，但却没有明确这样做。

Earlier this year the administration submitted a budget proposal that would move the ombudsman’s office to the Justice Department instead of the National Archives.今年早些时候，政府提交了一份财政预算案建议，即会提出申诉专员办公室向司法部而不是由国家档案。 Open-government advocates including Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., say that would be a conflict of interest because Justice would be defending federal agencies seeking to keep records secret.开放政府主张包括参议员帕特里克莱希和D - VT的，说这将是一个利益冲突，因为司法部将捍卫联邦机构寻求备存纪录的秘密。

In his speech, Curley criticized the administration move as a “sucker punch” to cripple the new FOIA law.他在讲话中柯利批评当局此举是一个"吸盘冲床" ，以削弱新foia法。 He urged advocates to push back and called for the next attorney general to explicitly reverse the Ashcroft memo.他呼吁，主张推动回来，并要求下次总检察长明确地扭转阿什克罗夫特备忘录。

“We must do more because the entrenched powers have become far more determined to avoid public scrutiny when it matters most,” he said. "我们必须做更多的，因为根深蒂固的权力已变得更确定，以避免公众审查时，它最重要， "他说。

Addressing the issue of whether journalists should be open-government advocates, Curley said it would be a disservice to the public to pretend to be “disinterested observers.” He noted that journalists already routinely badgered executive agencies and courts “for information and access we think the Constitution says the public is supposed to have.”解决这一问题的新闻记者是否应该开放政府主张，柯利说，那将是一个损害公众假装是"无私观察员" ，他指出，新闻记者已经照例指责行政机构和法院的"供参考，并获得我们认为宪法说，公众应该有" 。

“The brightest rays from Sunshine Weeks have spotlighted countless efforts by citizens to hold their governments accountable,” Curley added. "最亮的光线从阳光星期已经曝光了无数的努力，公民要政府对他们负责" ，柯利补充。 “By reporting on their efforts, we have revealed for millions important lessons in fighting city halls, statehouses and, yes, even Washington.” "的报道他们的工作，我们已发现数百万重要的教训，在争取市会堂， statehouses和，是的，即使是华盛顿" 。

In his remarks, Curley:在他的言论，柯利：

• Cited the case of former USA Today reporter Toni Locy as a “dramatic example” of why Congress should pass a federal shield law.举案件前今日美国报记者托尼locy作为一个"戏剧性的例证" ，为什么国会应该通过一个联邦盾构法。 Locy recently was fined up to $5,000 a day by a federal judge for refusing to disclose anonymous Justice Department sources to lawyers for a former Army scientist who came under scrutiny in the 2001 anthrax attacks. locy最近被罚款高达5000元，每天由一名联邦法官拒绝透露匿名司法部来源，以律师为前陆军科学家前来接受审查，在2001年的炭疽袭击事件。 An appeals court last week stayed the judge’s order pending appeal.圣地亚哥上诉法院上周下榻法官的命令，等候上诉。 Locy also at one time worked for the AP. locy亦在同一时间为鸭。
• Urged release of any evidence the US military has to justify its detention of AP photographer Bilal Hussein, who worked in the Iraq war zone.呼吁释放任何证据，美国军方已经足以证明其被拘留的美联社摄影记者比拉尔侯赛因曾在伊拉克战争中区。 After Hussein spent 19 months in prison, his case was referred to the Iraqi criminal courts last year.侯赛因后，用了19个月的监禁，他的案件转介给伊拉克刑事法庭去年。 Pentagon spokesmen have alleged that Hussein was suspected in a range of terrorist-related activities.Curley said he thought the Locy case had gotten good public attention.五角大楼发言人声称，侯赛因涉嫌在一系列的恐怖活动有关的activities.curley表示他认为locy案件已得到了良好的公众的注意力。 On Hussein, he said, “I don’t know how many people are interested in one more Iraqi.对侯赛因，他说： "我不知道有多少人有兴趣在一个更多的伊拉克。 I wish there were.” Predicted the media would not shy away from reporting about the human rights abuses or protests in China during the Summer Olympic Games.我想，有"预言传媒不会回避报告有关侵犯人权或抗议，中国在夏季奥运会的主办权。 He noted that one journalist across the world is beaten every two weeks in pursuit of the news.他指出，有一记者在世界各地是殴打，每两星期在追求新闻。

Q & A on Sunshine Week 常见于阳光星期
Curley is one of the media’s foremost advocates for open government and freedom of information.柯利就是其中的媒体面临的首要倡导者，开放的政府，资讯自由。

Last year he testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee to urge that the Freedom of Information Act be revitalized; an amended act was signed into law late last year.去年他作证之前，参议院司法委员会敦促信息自由法案得到振兴;一项修订法案签署成为法律，于去年年底。

In question-and-answer form, he discusses this year’s Sunshine Week initiative spearheaded by media organizations.在问答的形式，他大谈今年的阳光星期倡议，由媒体组织。

Question: Sunshine Week 2008 marks the fourth year of the national effort to initiate a public dialogue in the United States about the people’s right to know. 问：阳光星期2008马克第四年的国家努力开创一个公众对话，在美国对市民的知情权。 What’s different, compared to previous years?有什么不同，但与前几年相比吗？

Answer: Important progress was made last year. 答：取得了重要进展，去年。 The Freedom of Information Act got a significant upgrade 40 years after it first was passed.信息自由法案得到显着提升40年后第一次获得通过。 A federal shield bill advanced further in Congress than ever before.一项联邦法案盾构先进，进一步在国会上远远超过以往。 The bill would give reporters significant protection from disclosing confidential sources.该法案将给予记者的重大保护，泄露机密的来源。 Unfortunately, we also saw increasing willingness on the part of judges to pressure reporters to give up sources.不幸的是，我们也看到了越来越愿意对部分法官的压力，让记者放弃来源。

Q. On the last day of 2007, President George W. Bush signed into law legislation amending the Freedom of Information Act. 问：在最后一天的2007年，布什总统签署成为法律的立法修改资讯自由法。 How significant are the changes outlined in that law?如何重要的是变化概述该法？

A. The new law sets meaningful deadlines for agencies to respond to information requests, provides incentives to meet those deadlines, calls for a tracking system so requesters can check the status of their requests, and creates an ombudsman to help resolve disputes when requests are denied. 答：新的法律规定了有意义的截止日期为机构作出回应索取资料的要求，提供奖励措施，以满足这些最后期限，呼吁建立一个追踪系统，以便请求者可以退房的地位，他们的要求，并创造一个监察员，以协助解决争端时，要求都否认。

Q. Does the public have better tools now to know what the government is doing? 问：市民是否有更好的工具，现在知道政府正在做什么？

A. Any strengthening of the Freedom of Information Act benefits the public directly. 答：任何加强信息自由法惠及市民直接。 Most FOIA requests are filed by the public about their own records (Social Security or veterans’ benefits).最foia请求明察暗访和群众的举报对他们自己的记录（社会保障或退伍军人福利） 。 We think these amendments will help everyone, not just the news media.我们认为，这些修正案将有助于每个人，不只是在新闻媒体曝光。

Q. Does the government have the right to close off electronic communication, such as e-mails, from public view? 问：政府是否有权利关闭了电子通信，例如电子邮件，从市民的看法如何？

A. E-mails or other electronic files can be “records” and subject to disclosure under FOIA. 答：电子邮件或其他电子文件可以通过"纪录" ，并须予披露下foia 。 Whether they can be withheld from public view depends on whether any of the exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act or other federal statutes apply to the particular content and purpose of a communication, whether electronic or paper.他们是否能够被扣压了公众视野，取决于是否有任何的例外，在信息自由法或其他联邦法规适用于特定内容和目的的沟通，无论是电子或纸张。

Q. Has progress been made on the state level in opening up government records without legal recourse? 问：有进展，取得了国家一级开放政府记录，没有法律追索权？

A. Two of the absolute worst states in terms of open-government laws — Louisiana and Pennsylvania — made considerable progress. 答：两所绝对最差的国家而言，开放式政府的法律-路易斯安那州和宾夕法尼亚-取得了相当大的进展。 Ultimately, what led to the change was citizen outrage over government of the special interests, for the special interests and by the special interest-elected representatives.归根结底，是什么导致了以改变公民愤怒政府的特殊利益，特殊利益和特殊利益，由选举产生的代表组成。 Media played an important role covering the citizen unrest and focusing the spotlight on the most offensive officeholders and their ties to lobbyists.媒体发挥了重要作用，包括公民的不安和重点聚光灯下，就最有攻击性官员和他们的关系，以说客。

Q. What is the outlook for a federal shield law? 问：什么是观为一个联邦盾构法？

A. The House has passed a bill, and the Senate is considering a similar one. 答：众议院14日通过了一项法案，参议院正在考虑类似的问题。 The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved it.参议院司法委员会已批准它。 If the full Senate approves it, the differences with the House have to be ironed out, and then the president has to sign it.如果充分参议院通过它，分歧与美国众议院已以理顺，然后总统已签署这项公约。 Supporters of the bill are cautiously optimistic about a Senate vote, but the rest of the process is hard to predict.支持草案的是审慎乐观的态度参院投票通过，而其余的过程是难以预料的。

Q. Will the advent of a new administration help or hinder open-government initiatives? 问：会不会出现一个新政府的帮助或妨碍开放的政府措施？

A. That’s really hard to know. 答：这奇摩真的很难知道。 Candidates who get elected tend to want to control the message and the messenger.候选人谁当选，往往要控制讯息和信差。 We have to continue to fight for openness on all fronts.我们要继续积极争取开放方面的发展。 This election year would seem to offer hope in several ways.这次选举将在今年似乎提供了希望，在几个方面。 Public interest by many measures is higher.公共利益是由许多措施，是更高。 The campaigns have been exciting, and the likely party nominees have appealed for transparency, healing and dialogue.该运动已令人兴奋，并可能党参选人呼吁透明度，愈合和对话。 Judging by the electorate’s repudiation of bare-knuckle partisan politics, the politicians might have gotten a message.从选民的否定裸关节党派政治，政客们可能得到的一个信息。

Q. What role should media play in the dialogue about the people’s right to know? 问：什么角色应该是新闻媒体发挥在对话中对市民的知情权？

A. Media can help in important ways. 答：媒体能帮助在一些重要方面。 We should explain how information can be accessed.我们应该如何解释信息可以被访问。 We should model good behavior in making critical facts available, especially in crisis situations.我们应效法良好行为作出重要的事实，尤其是在危机情况。 We should seek to put as much information on the record from sources or leaders in a position to have reliable facts.我们应设法把尽可能多的信息就记录，从源头或领袖的地位，以掌握可靠的事实。 We should do our best to explain in understandable terms what’s happening, who benefits and the likely impacts.我们应该尽我们所能来解释，在理解的条款究竟发生了，他们带来的好处和可能产生的影响。 Finally, we should work harder to hold elected and other officials accountable.最后，我们应更加努力工作，举行民选官员和其他官员的责任。 One of the best ways to do that is to give voice to citizens and their concerns through fair coverage and letters.其中一个最好的方法，这样做是为了让声音向公民和他们所关心的是通过公正的报道和信件。

Q. Is there a historical benchmark for an acceptable balance between the good done for security against the harm done to liberty? 问：是否有一个历史基准为一个可接受的平衡关系良好，为完成对安全的危害，做了人身自由？

A. As a case in point, look at the US military’s detention of AP photographer Bilal Hussein in Iraq — since April 12, 2006. 答：作为一个典型的例子，看看在美军的羁押美联社摄影记者比拉尔侯赛因在伊拉克-自2 006年4月1 2日。 We believe Bilal’s detention was part of a sweep of photographers by the military and was intended to end (or) prevent coverage of a part of the war that was not going well.我们相信，比拉尔被拘留的一个组成部分，横扫摄影师由军队，并打算在年底（或）防止覆盖率一个战争的一部分，这是不顺利。 We know from history — such as from the Vietnam War — that images that inform the public can change the world.我们知道，从历史中-例如从越南战争-这形象告知市民，可以改变这个世界。 In terms of access to information for the media and the public, it appears we are seeing a replay on the part of some of the old Cold War scare tactics.在获取信息，为媒体和公众，我们似乎看到了重放对部分一些旧的冷战恐吓手段。 Government exaggerates the threats and implies that it has knowledge we don’t, so only they know best.政府夸大威胁，并暗示它已认识我们不是这样做，所以只有他们才知道什么是最好的。 Really, that attitude is outrageous and shortsighted.说真的，这种态度令人愤怒，是短视的。 Since Bilal was picked up, there also has been an egregious disregard of his due process; we’ve seen meddling in the judicial process at every step.自比拉尔是回升，但也一直是一个令人震惊的无视他的正当程序，我们已经看到插手，在司法过程中的每一步。 The war on terrorism will likely be more successful if we stand by the rule of law, especially when dealing with due process for suspects or detainees.反恐战争可能会更成功，如果我们站在法治的，尤其是在处理与适当的程序，嫌犯或拘留。 Procedures already exist to get the job done, even on electronic surveillance.程序已经存在，要完成任务，即使是对电子监视。 We started on a slippery slope in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks and now have secret prisons abroad and former military prosecutors accusing the government of trying to rig trials at Guantanamo.我们开始大滑坡，在经历了9月11日袭击，目前已在国外建立秘密监狱和前军事检察官指控政府企图拼凑审判在关塔那摩监狱中。 Excessive secrecy combined with abusive judicial tactics are a danger to democracy.过度保密结合辱骂司法策略是危险的民主。

Q. Has the media’s traditional role as a watchdog of government activity on behalf of the public changed? 问：有媒体的传统职责是监管的政府活动代表市民改变了吗？

A. The role has evolved with the times and technology, and you can see it being played out in the presidential election process this year. 答：作用已演变随着时代与科技，你可以看到它正在发挥出在总统选举过程中，这一年。 The public is getting a much faster vetting of candidate rhetoric and information about partisan tactics or game-playing.公众越来越快得多审核候选人的言论和信息党派或战术上玩游戏。 New technologies have helped create new media, so there are more voices than ever.新技术，有利于创建新的媒体，所以有更多的声音比以往任何时候。 Social-networking sites are providing context and information to millions of people, especially a new generation of voters.社会网络网站所提供的内容和资料，以百万计的人，尤其是新一代的选民。 With all the cameras in all the places, candidates and even media are finding it hard to duck.所有相机在所有地方，候选人甚至媒体都愈来愈难鸭。

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