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.華盛頓-在一段時間的持續，政府機密文件，新聞媒體要按下總統候選人，對他們是否政府將強制執行"的精神，以及為信法" ，保障市民的知情權，說美聯社總統總裁兼首席執行官湯姆柯利。

“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，為政府，要成為負責任的，只有自己，無論精神，任何法律的， "他說，今年3月18日全國陽光星期講話。

Curley praised congressional passage of legislation that toughened the Freedom of Information Act.柯利稱讚國會通過立法，加重對資訊自由法。 But he chided Bush administration efforts that he said undercut the measure.但他指責布什政府的努力，他說，破壞的措施。

The presidential election provides a good opportunity to press for open-government policies, he said.總統大選提供了一個很好的機會，以新聞為開放式政府的政策，他說。

“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. "我們需要問的候選人-在每一個機會，除非我們有一個明確的答案-他們是否願意任命一名總檢察長願意跟隨精神以及法律的文字，保護人民群眾的知情權他們的政府在做" ，柯利在講話中說，在國家新聞俱樂部舉行。

President Bush signed into law last December a toughened version of FOIA, the first such makeover to public-access laws in a decade.布希總統簽署成為法律，於去年12月1增韌版foia ，首面貌，以公共獲取的法律在十年了。 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.它確立了熱線電話服務，為所有聯邦機構來處理問題，並設立監察員，以提供替代訴訟中披露的糾紛。

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.立法前來部分是為了響應命令，由前司法部長阿什克羅夫特在經歷了2001年9月11日，攻擊，在其中他指示各機構對精益發布信息時，有不確定性，如何這樣做會影響國家安全。 Although the legislation is aimed at reversing Ashcroft’s order, it fails to explicitly do so.雖然立法是旨在扭轉阿什克羅夫特的命令，但卻沒有明確這樣做。

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.今年早些時候，政府提交了一份財政預算案建議，即會提出申訴專員辦公室向司法部而不是由國家檔案。 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.開放政府主張包括參議員帕特里克萊希和D - VT的，說這將是一個利益衝突，因為司法部將捍衛聯邦機構尋求備存紀錄的秘密。

In his speech, Curley criticized the administration move as a “sucker punch” to cripple the new FOIA law.他在講話中柯利批評當局此舉是一個"吸盤沖床" ，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.他呼籲，主張推動回來，並要求下次總檢察長明確地扭轉阿什克羅夫特備忘錄。

“We must do more because the entrenched powers have become far more determined to avoid public scrutiny when it matters most,” he said. "我們必須做更多的，因為根深蒂固的權力已變得更確定，以避免公眾審查時，它最重要， "他說。

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.”解決這一問題的新聞記者是否應該開放政府主張，柯利說，那將是一個損害公眾假裝是"無私觀察員" ，他指出，新聞記者已經照例指責行政機構和法院的"供參考，並獲得我們認為憲法說，公眾應該有" 。

“The brightest rays from Sunshine Weeks have spotlighted countless efforts by citizens to hold their governments accountable,” Curley added. "最亮的光線從陽光星期已經曝光了無數的努力，公民要政府對他們負責" ，柯利補充。 “By reporting on their efforts, we have revealed for millions important lessons in fighting city halls, statehouses and, yes, even Washington.” "的報導他們的工作，我們已發現數百萬重要的教訓，在爭取市會堂， statehouses和，是的，即使是華盛頓" 。

In his remarks, Curley:在他的言論，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.舉案件前今日美國報記者托尼locy作為一個"戲劇性的例證" ，為什麼國會應該通過一個聯邦盾構法。 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最近被罰款高達5000元，每天由一名聯邦法官拒絕透露匿名司法部來源，以律師為前陸軍科學家前來接受審查，在2001年的炭疽襲擊事件。 An appeals court last week stayed the judge’s order pending appeal.聖地亞哥上訴法院上週下榻法官的命令，等候上訴。 Locy also at one time worked for the AP. locy亦在同一時間為鴨。
• 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.呼籲釋放任何證據，美國軍方已經足以證明其被拘留的美聯社攝影記者比拉爾侯賽因曾在伊拉克戰爭中區。 After Hussein spent 19 months in prison, his case was referred to the Iraqi criminal courts last year.侯賽因後，用了19個月的監禁，他的案件轉介給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.五角大樓發言人聲稱，侯賽因涉嫌在一系列的恐怖活動有關的activities.curley表示他認為locy案件已得到了良好的公眾的注意力。 On Hussein, he said, “I don’t know how many people are interested in one more Iraqi.對侯賽因，他說： "我不知道有多少人有興趣在一個更多的伊拉克。 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"預言傳媒不會迴避報告有關侵犯人權或抗議，中國在夏季奧運會的主辦權。 He noted that one journalist across the world is beaten every two weeks in pursuit of the news.他指出，有一記者在世界各地是毆打，每兩星期在追求新聞。

Q & A on Sunshine Week 常見於陽光星期
Curley is one of the media’s foremost advocates for open government and freedom of information.柯利就是其中的媒體面臨的首要倡導者，開放的政府，資訊自由。

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.去年他作證之前，參議院司法委員會敦促信息自由法案得到振興;一項修訂法案簽署成為法律，於去年年底。

In question-and-answer form, he discusses this year’s Sunshine Week initiative spearheaded by media organizations.在問答的形式，他大談今年的陽光星期倡議，由媒體組織。

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. 問：陽光星期2008馬克第四年的國家努力開創一個公眾對話，在美國對市民的知情權。 What’s different, compared to previous years?有什麼不同，但與前幾年相比嗎？

Answer: Important progress was made last year. 答：取得了重要進展，去年。 The Freedom of Information Act got a significant upgrade 40 years after it first was passed.信息自由法案得到顯著提升40年後第一次獲得通過。 A federal shield bill advanced further in Congress than ever before.一項聯邦法案盾構先進，進一步在國會上遠遠超過以往。 The bill would give reporters significant protection from disclosing confidential sources.該法案將給予記者的重大保護，洩露機密的來源。 Unfortunately, we also saw increasing willingness on the part of judges to pressure reporters to give up sources.不幸的是，我們也看到了越來越願意對部分法官的壓力，讓記者放棄來源。

Q. On the last day of 2007, President George W. Bush signed into law legislation amending the Freedom of Information Act. 問：在最後一天的2007年，布什總統簽署成為法律的立法修改資訊自由法。 How significant are the changes outlined in that law?如何重要的是變化概述該法？

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：新的法律規定了有意義的截止日期為機構作出回應索取資料的要求，提供獎勵措施，以滿足這些最後期限，呼籲建立一個追踪系統，以便請求者可以退房的地位，他們的要求，並創造一個監察員，以協助解決爭端時，要求都否認。

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

A. Any strengthening of the Freedom of Information Act benefits the public directly. 答：任何加強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請求明察暗訪和群眾的舉報對他們自己的記錄（社會保障或退伍軍人福利） 。 We think these amendments will help everyone, not just the news media.我們認為，這些修正案將有助於每個人，不只是在新聞媒體曝光。

Q. Does the government have the right to close off electronic communication, such as e-mails, from public view? 問：政府是否有權利關閉了電子通信，例如電子郵件，從市民的看法如何？

A. E-mails or other electronic files can be “records” and subject to disclosure under FOIA. 答：電子郵件或其他電子文件可以通過"紀錄" ，並須予披露下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.他們是否能夠被扣壓了公眾視野，取決於是否有任何的例外，在信息自由法或其他聯邦法規適用於特定內容和目的的溝通，無論是電子或紙張。

Q. Has progress been made on the state level in opening up government records without legal recourse? 問：有進展，取得了國家一級開放政府記錄，沒有法律追索權？

A. Two of the absolute worst states in terms of open-government laws — Louisiana and Pennsylvania — made considerable progress. 答：兩所絕對最差的國家而言，開放式政府的法律-路易斯安那州和賓夕法尼亞-取得了相當大的進展。 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.歸根結底，是什麼導致了以改變公民憤怒政府的特殊利益，特殊利益和特殊利益，由選舉產生的代表組成。 Media played an important role covering the citizen unrest and focusing the spotlight on the most offensive officeholders and their ties to lobbyists.媒體發揮了重要作用，包括公民的不安和重點聚光燈下，就最有攻擊性官員和他們的關係，以說客。

Q. What is the outlook for a federal shield law? 問：什麼是觀為一個聯邦盾構法？

A. The House has passed a bill, and the Senate is considering a similar one. 答：眾議院14日通過了一項法案，參議院正在考慮類似的問題。 The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved it.參議院司法委員會已批准它。 If the full Senate approves it, the differences with the House have to be ironed out, and then the president has to sign it.如果充分參議院通過它，分歧與美國眾議院已以理順，然後總統已簽署這項公約。 Supporters of the bill are cautiously optimistic about a Senate vote, but the rest of the process is hard to predict.支持草案的是審慎樂觀的態度參院投票通過，而其餘的過程是難以預料的。

Q. Will the advent of a new administration help or hinder open-government initiatives? 問：會不會出現一個新政府的幫助或妨礙開放的政府措施？

A. That’s really hard to know. 答：這奇摩真的很難知道。 Candidates who get elected tend to want to control the message and the messenger.候選人誰當選，往往要控制訊息和信差。 We have to continue to fight for openness on all fronts.我們要繼續積極爭取開放方面的發展。 This election year would seem to offer hope in several ways.這次選舉將在今年似乎提供了希望，在幾個方面。 Public interest by many measures is higher.公共利益是由許多措施，是更高。 The campaigns have been exciting, and the likely party nominees have appealed for transparency, healing and dialogue.該運動已令人興奮，並可能黨參選人呼籲透明度，癒合和對話。 Judging by the electorate’s repudiation of bare-knuckle partisan politics, the politicians might have gotten a message.從選民的否定裸關節黨派政治，政客們可能得到的一個信息。

Q. What role should media play in the dialogue about the people’s right to know? 問：什麼角色應該是新聞媒體發揮在對話中對市民的知情權？

A. Media can help in important ways. 答：媒體能幫助在一些重要方面。 We should explain how information can be accessed.我們應該如何解釋信息可以被訪問。 We should model good behavior in making critical facts available, especially in crisis situations.我們應效法良好行為作出重要的事實，尤其是在危機情況。 We should seek to put as much information on the record from sources or leaders in a position to have reliable facts.我們應設法把盡可能多的信息就記錄，從源頭或領袖的地位，以掌握可靠的事實。 We should do our best to explain in understandable terms what’s happening, who benefits and the likely impacts.我們應該盡我們所能來解釋，在理解的條款究竟發生了，他們帶來的好處和可能產生的影響。 Finally, we should work harder to hold elected and other officials accountable.最後，我們應更加努力工作，舉行民選官員和其他官員的責任。 One of the best ways to do that is to give voice to citizens and their concerns through fair coverage and letters.其中一個最好的方法，這樣做是為了讓聲音向公民和他們所關心的是通過公正的報導和信件。

Q. Is there a historical benchmark for an acceptable balance between the good done for security against the harm done to liberty? 問：是否有一個歷史基準為一個可接受的平衡關係良好，為完成對安全的危害，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：作為一個典型的例子，看看在美軍的羈押美聯社攝影記者比拉爾侯賽因在伊拉克-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.我們相信，比拉爾被拘留的一個組成部分，橫掃攝影師由軍隊，並打算在年底（或）防止覆蓋率一個戰爭的一部分，這是不順利。 We know from history — such as from the Vietnam War — that images that inform the public can change the world.我們知道，從歷史中-例如從越南戰爭-這形象告知市民，可以改變這個世界。 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.在獲取信息，為媒體和公眾，我們似乎看到了重放對部分一些舊的冷戰恐嚇手段。 Government exaggerates the threats and implies that it has knowledge we don’t, so only they know best.政府誇大威脅，並暗示它已認識我們不是這樣做，所以只有他們才知道什麼是最好的。 Really, that attitude is outrageous and shortsighted.說真的，這種態度令人憤怒，是短視的。 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.自比拉爾是回升，但也一直是一個令人震驚的無視他的正當程序，我們已經看到插手，在司法過程中的每一步。 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.反恐戰爭可能會更成功，如果我們站在法治的，尤其是在處理與適當的程序，嫌犯或拘留。 Procedures already exist to get the job done, even on electronic surveillance.程序已經存在，要完成任務，即使是對電子監視。 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.我們開始大滑坡，在經歷了9月11日襲擊，目前已在國外建立秘密監獄和前軍事檢察官指控政府企圖拼湊審判在關塔那摩監獄中。 Excessive secrecy combined with abusive judicial tactics are a danger to democracy.過度保密結合辱罵司法策略是危險的民主。

Q. Has the media’s traditional role as a watchdog of government activity on behalf of the public changed? 問：有媒體的傳統職責是監管的政府活動代表市民改變了嗎？

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：作用已演變隨著時代與科技，你可以看到它正在發揮出在總統選舉過程中，這一年。 The public is getting a much faster vetting of candidate rhetoric and information about partisan tactics or game-playing.公眾越來越快得多審核候選人的言論和信息黨派或戰術上玩遊戲。 New technologies have helped create new media, so there are more voices than ever.新技術，有利於創建新的媒體，所以有更多的聲音比以往任何時候。 Social-networking sites are providing context and information to millions of people, especially a new generation of voters.社會網絡網站所提供的內容和資料，以百萬計的人，尤其是新一代的選民。 With all the cameras in all the places, candidates and even media are finding it hard to duck.所有相機在所有地方，候選人甚至媒體都愈來愈難鴨。

AP鴨

Comment on 'Media should press candidates on open government' : 評論'媒體應新聞中心招聘對公開的政府' ：

RSS 的RSS TrackBack URL 跟踪 RUI

Related News: 相關新聞：