Watchdogs prepare for Sunshine Week

This week marks Sunshine Week, a time when media outlets, citizens, nonprofits, and schools seek to educate the American people about government transparency and accountability. It initiated with James Madison’s birthday on March 16, because Madison authored the First Amendment. Some groups are using this week to discuss proposed FOIA reforms. Judicial Watch’s president Tom Fitton argues that it is better for groups like Judicial Watch and citizens to oversee government activities instead, since these reforms will not bring about much change.

Tom Fitton also offered commentary to Washington Examiner on the purpose of this week, as quoted in the article:

“FOIA is a lifeline for Americans who want accountable government,” said Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch.

“One thing that can come out of Sunshine Week is attention to the fact that we have a transparency crisis in Washington,” Fitton said. “Congress is hapless. The agencies have contempt for the FOIA. The president is a co-conspirator and has an administration that violates the FOIA law and violates records laws in ways that would put any private citizen in jail.”