In the News

The News Journal | A News Journal Editorial (Read full article)

We join Delaware Common Cause and the Delaware Coalition for Open Government in calling on Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long to release an audit of her campaign finances — even though she is not required to do so by Delaware Law.

Hall-Long, who seeks the governor’s seat in 2024, has called the audit an act of transparency, but she has continued to decline to release the document itself…

Delaware Public Media | by Paul Kiefer (Read full article)

In March, the Delaware State Police secured a $15,000 grant — funded through the state’s civil asset forfeiture revenues — to purchase the facial recognition software Clearview AI, which will enable the agency’s biometrics unit to compare investigative images to an open-source database of images scraped from the internet…

The News Journal | Opinion | by Delaware Coalition for Open Government & Delaware Press Association (Read full article)

Lead-contaminated water that is poisoning children in our public schools is only the most recent tragedy in a growing list of serious problems that highlight the need for government oversight in Delaware. The First State does not have any form of independent, nonpartisan government oversight. That, too, is a serious problem. That is why we need a Delaware Office of the Inspector General.

The Inspector General would investigate corruption, waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in Delaware government and would release public reports on all investigations. The Inspector General also would work in concert with the Attorney General and the State Auditor to ensure crimes and financial wrongdoing are exposed and those responsible are held accountable…

Delaware State News | by Joseph Edelen (Read full article)

A bipartisan effort to establish an inspector general in state government is being reintroduced in Delaware’s General Assembly.

The initiative and its potential benefits were discussed at length Monday during a virtual forum hosted by the Delaware Coalition for Open Government that drew more than 70 attendees…

Cape Gazette | by Melissa Steel (Read full article)

More transparency and accountability are needed in government, say officials who gathered April 24 to talk about creating a new inspector general position.

Hosted by the Delaware Coalition for Open Government and the Delaware Press Association, a panel discussed the need for a Delaware Inspector General to investigate issues of corruption, waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement in the state government…

Delaware Live | by Sam Haut (Read full article)

The idea of creating an inspector general for Delaware united multiple advocacy groups that sponsored a Zoom forum on the benefits of such a job.

On Monday, 71 people attended a virtual forum hosted by the Delaware Coalition for Open Government and Delaware Press Association…

Delaware Public Media | by Rachel Sawicki (Read full article)

State Rep. Mike Smith and State Sen. Laura Sturgeon plan to sponsor a bill authorizing the creation of an Inspector General’s Office. A similar bill was introduced last session, but languished in committee.

Sturgeon says an inspector general’s office would cost about $1 million per year, which she argues is a good investment to bolster the public’s trust in government…

Delaware State News (Read full article)

The Delaware Coalition for Open Government and the Delaware Press Association will host “Ensuring Transparency and Accountability: Why Delaware Needs an Inspector General Now!” from 7-8:30 p.m. Monday.

The virtual panel discussion will be moderated by the coalition’s president, John Kowalko III, and focus on the need to establish an independent, nonpartisan Delaware Office of the Inspector General. A Q&A will follow…

The News Journal | by Sarah Gamard (Read full article)

The leading Democrat behind a bill seeking to give government officials more power to hide public documents from the public says she is pumping the brakes on the legislation after criticism over its potential repercussions.

“Out of respect to our shared interest in an open and transparent (government), I have paused this legislation to continue conversations,” Sen. Kyle Evans Gay, D-Talleyville, wrote …

The News Journal | by Xerxes Wilson & Sarah Gamard (Read full article)

Democratic lawmakers and Attorney General Kathy Jennings are seeking to give government officials more power to hide public documents from the public.

A bill proposing those changes passed its first committee hurdle earlier this week. It seeks to empower government officials to deny requests for public records that those officials deem “unreasonably broad, unduly burdensome, abusive” or intended to “disrupt the essential functions of the public body.”

Advocates of open government have criticized the legislation, saying the vague language in Senate Bill 155 would allow government officials to withhold more receipts, emails and other documents that show the work of public officials and cover up things they do not want exposed…