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Sunshine Campaign Presidential Survey

Published: January 17, 2008
Last Updated: January 17, 2008

Sunshine Week 2008:
The Sunshine Campaign Questionnaire

The following questions were sent in October 2007 to the 16 Democratic and Republican presidential candidates then in the race. Only two, John Edwards and Bill Richardson, replied.

The Questions

General Overview: In 500-1,000 words, please summarize your position on open government. What is your personal philosophy on citizen access to government information? You may attach the statement in a separate document, if you prefer.

Secrecy: There has been considerable discussion and commentary on the "growing culture of secrecy" in the federal government. A nationwide opinion poll conducted for Sunshine Week 2007 found that two-thirds of American adults believe the federal government is secretive. Do you agree or disagree? If you believe the equation needs changing, what would you do to address that?

Secrecy: Officials and agencies frequently withhold from the public memorandums exchanged in decision making, claiming that disclosure would chill the deliberative process. Critics of this practice say it deprives the public of vital information on how decisions are made. What is your view? If you disagree with the withholding, what would you do to bring about a change?

Classification of Information: Since 2000, the number of classification decisions has gone up markedly, while the total number of pages declassified has dropped sharply. What is your view on these trends? If you believe there are problems with overclassification or declassification, do you have specific corrective steps in mind?

Pseudo-Classification Information: The multiplicity of "sensitive but unclassified" markings and the lack of criteria to be used in safeguarding information have been called damaging to the flow of information both within the government and to the public. Do you agree? What changes to the system, if any, would you direct?

Confidential Sources: Do you believe there should be a reporter-source privilege, such as outlined in the proposed federal Free Flow of Information Act, to protect the identities of reporters' confidential sources? If yes, would you modify the bill in any way? If no, what are your objections?

Freedom of Information Act: In 2001, then-Attorney General John Ashcroft issued a memo to federal agencies counseling them to withhold documents requested under the Freedom of Information Act if they find any legal basis for non-disclosure. He said the Justice Department would back them in court. This reversed the policy of Ashcroft's predecessor, Janet Reno, which called for a presumption of openness and urged agencies to release information if disclosure would do no harm. Where on this access to information spectrum would you want the view of your choice for Attorney General to fall? Would an open government philosophy be a factor in vetting your choice?

Access to Information: The backlog of unprocessed Freedom of Information Act requests has risen to almost 40 percent in recent years. What, if anything, can be done to reverse this trend and bring efficiency to the FOIA process?

Access to Information: Do you believe the Freedom of Information Act should be amended to cover the administrative functions of Congress and federal courts? Why or why not?

Presidential Records: In 2001, President Bush signed an executive order that grants control over the release of presidential records to former presidents and their families. As president, would you let that directive stand or reverse it? Why?

Contributions to Presidential Libraries: Do you support legislation that would require the names of donors to presidential libraries — and the amount they donated — to be public information? Why?

First Amendment Rights: As president, how would you set a tone that protects the First Amendment rights of federal scientists and ensures public and congressional access to taxpayer-funded science? Under your administration, will government scientific information be presumed to be publicly available unless a compelling reason is given to withhold it, or will information be presumed sensitive unless there is a compelling public benefit to its release?

Cameras in the Courtroom: What is your view on allowing television and still photography, as well as live video and audio coverage, in federal district and appellate courtrooms and in the Supreme Court?