Council Member Bowser will hold a hearing todayon an ethics bill that includes establishment of the Open Government Office. I am testifying on behalf of the chapter and the Open Gov't Coalition. A draft of the testimony is attached. If you have suggestions, comments, criticisms, etc., please let me know ASAP. Sorry for the short notice, but I got the bill 11/18 and left town for Thanksgiving 11/20. Just got back Monday night. I thought I sent this out late yesterday, but it apparently did not get sent. A question is likely to come up at the hearing and I need to know your thoughts. As the testimony acknowledges, this bill may be the only way in the foreseeable future to get the Open Gov't Office up and running. But there are some very serious flaws in the bill. If they are willing to make the changes we propose, I can live with creating the office under the Ethics Board. But if they refuse to make the changes I think we should oppose the bill, and be very vocal about why we feel that way. I need to know what you think about that position. I have discussed this with other Coalition board members. I think we agree that if they don't change the language we would prefer that CM Bowser remove the Open Gov't Office from the bill and that we will not support it without the changes. — ___________________________________________________________________ Robert S. Becker Phone& Fax (202) 364-8013 Law Offices of Robert S. Becker Washington, D.C. Website http://www.dcappeals.com E-mail: rbecker@dcappeals.com Practice concentrating on legal issues affecting the media& appellate litigation ___________________________________________________________________
