Stock Trading By Officials
How You Can See Your Congressperson’s Stock Trades
You can see what stocks your representatives buy and sell but it's not as simple as it should be. The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK)…
Government Transparency
Government transparency is the idea that the public has a right to know what its government does. It covers access to records, open meetings, and ways for people to speak to officials. Congress, federal and state agencies, courts, and local governments all shape how open government is.
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October 6last updated
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Referenced by Brookings, CNN, Forbes, Fox News, Pew Research, Snopes, The Hill and USA Today.
The Webby-recognized AI behind our articles »
Latest in Government Transparency
Types of Crimes
The Epstein Files: What the Documents Actually Show
The criminal enterprise of Jeffrey Epstein has created one of the most persistent myths in modern American history: the existence of a singular, definitive "Client List."…
Federal Court System
How the Supreme Court’s Shadow Docket Works
In June 2025, the Supreme Court narrowed lower-court orders blocking President Donald Trump's effort to deny citizenship to some children born in the United States. It…
The Presidency
Executive Privilege: The Controversial Presidential Power
Executive privilege is the asserted power of the President of the United States, along with other high-level officials in the executive branch, to withhold certain confidential…
Topics in Government Transparency
Getting information
Requests for federal records are covered in Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and other government documents and data are covered in Public Records Access.
Taking part
Rules about watching officials at work are covered in Open Meetings, and contacting and asking help of government is covered in Right to Petition Government.
All Articles on Government Transparency
What Happens to Top-Secret Documents at the End of the Day?
In government secrecy, few terms are as evocative as the "burn bag." Popular culture has cemented its image in the public consciousness: a simple…
How to Contact Your School District
Local school districts are one of the most impactful forms of government in American families' lives. They're responsible for educating nearly 50 million public…
How to Contact Your Governor
Governor contact pages offer routes for policy opinions, agency complaints and meeting requests, with different limits on help, replies and privacy.
How to Contact Your Senators
Contacting a United States Senator might seem daunting, reserved for lobbyists and political insiders. The truth is that Senators and their staff closely monitor…
How to Contact Your Member of Congress
While it may seem daunting, contacting a U.S. Representative or Senator is straightforward. Congressional offices are specifically structured to receive, track, and consider the…
A Guide to Successfully Contacting Your Elected Officials
Your voice matters more than you think. In a representative democracy, constituent communication is an important part of the legislative process. Every piece of…
How to Contact the President
Learn the official ways to contact the president, what happens to a White House message, when another office is better and how to avoid scams.
How to Contact the Vice President
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of how to communicate with the Vice President's office, explains the official protocols, and sets expectations for what…
How to Search Public Sex Offender Registries
Public sex offender registries in the United States exist as a public safety tool, designed to help government authorities track individuals convicted of sex…
Why Criminal Trials Are Public: The Right to Open Courts Explained
In American courtrooms, the default setting is open doors. The principle stands in stark contrast to the secret tribunals and shadowy proceedings that have…