Lauren Harper
@laurenleharper.bsky.social
11K followers 830 following 1K posts
Daniel Ellsberg Chair on Government Secrecy at @freedom.press. Interested in reducing overclassification, FOIA reform, enforcement of the Presidential Records Act, and preservation of federal records. Opinions mine. Signal leharper.89
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laurenleharper.bsky.social
Good thing @freedom.press filed a FOIA request for all of Bondi’s Truth Social DMs to see what else he’s demanding she do on his janky platform.

(Social media posts from gov officials are federal records, including deleted messages and DMs)
marcelias.bsky.social
This has real -- I intended to dm "Pam" -- energy.
Reposted by Lauren Harper
metacurity.com
If anyone has more details on the supposed mass firings at CISA, contact me at Cynthia.507 via Signsl.
metacurity.com
Trying to get more details on this but remember that Russell Vought’s Project 2025 called for demolishing CISA and moving it into the Department of Transportation.

www.csoonline.com/article/3477...
laurenleharper.bsky.social
Will be easier for Trump’s library to get more planes that way.

They could do a lend-a-jet program.

Very efficient.
atrupar.com
Hegseth: "I'm also proud that today we're signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emeri air force facility at the Mountain Home Airbase in Idaho."
laurenleharper.bsky.social
Come with an interest in classification and how kitchen cabinets could possibly be a national security threat, stay for the cat who refused to get off the kitchen counter.
laurenleharper.bsky.social
I read @govexec.bsky.social every day. It has some of the best reporting on the federal workforce and agency activities out there

Want to know the nitty gritty of the RIFs? Check them out if you haven’t already.
‘Substantial’ layoffs begin at federal agencies, White House says
The Trump administration is following through on its threat to leverage the shutdown to implement federal workforce reductions.
www.govexec.com
Reposted by Lauren Harper
mjsdc.bsky.social
This arrest appears to be in direct violation of a temporary restraining order prohibiting DHS officers from arresting journalists. The officers here may well be subject to contempt of court. protectdemocracy.org/wp-content/u...
It is hereby ORDERED that Defendants,' their officers, agents, assigns, and all
persons acting in concert with them (hereafter referred to as "Federal Agents"), are temporarily
ENJOINED in this judicial district from:
a.
Dispersing, arresting, threatening to arrest, threatening or using physical
force against any person whom they know or reasonably should know is a Journalist, unless Defendants have probable cause to believe that the individual has committed a crime.
laurenleharper.bsky.social
On FOIA.gov, HHS requires you to provide a phone number to submit your request, citing its outdated FOIA regulations.

Why? Is RFK Jr gonna send me push notifications about how fulfilling my FOIA request is as dangerous as ingesting Tylenol?

I'll pass.
laurenleharper.bsky.social
good to know; all the more reason to make the private detention facilities etc subject to FOIA
laurenleharper.bsky.social
And a reminder - private prisons and detention facilities are not subject to FOIA. They must be made so.
laurenleharper.bsky.social
"Congress used to require that DHS compile the reports [on the # of pregnant women in immigration detention], but as of the last funding bill, it had dropped the mandate."

Terrible move, especially bc ICE is curtailing congressional oversight of facilities

@jesswash.bsky.social @theintercept.com
The Trump Administration Is Hiding How Many Pregnant People Are in ICE Detention
The evidence indicates ICE is detaining pregnant women at alarming rates, in rapidly deteriorating conditions.
theintercept.com
laurenleharper.bsky.social
"Congress used to require that DHS compile the reports [on the # of pregnant women in immigration detention], but as of the last funding bill, it had dropped the mandate."

Terrible move, especially bc ICE is curtailing congressional oversight of facilities

@jesswash.bsky.social @theintercept.com
The Trump Administration Is Hiding How Many Pregnant People Are in ICE Detention
The evidence indicates ICE is detaining pregnant women at alarming rates, in rapidly deteriorating conditions.
theintercept.com
laurenleharper.bsky.social
Of course the public should know if Elon Musk has a security clearance and accesses classified information.

Great FOIA win for @nytimes.com - the court ruled Musk’s privacy interests were outweighed by "the substantial public interests in disclosure"
storage.courtlistener.com
Reposted by Lauren Harper
maassive.bsky.social
Flock Safety can try to deny that its ALPR network was used by a Texas sheriff to investigate a woman who had an abortion, but newly obtained records show that it was, in fact, a "death investigation" of a non-viable fetus.

Deputies even considered charging her for it.

www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
Flock Safety and Texas Sheriff Claimed License Plate Search Was for a Missing Person. It Was an Abortion Investigation.
New documents and court records obtained by EFF show that Texas deputies queried Flock Safety's surveillance data in an abortion investigation, contradicting the narrative promoted by the company and ...
www.eff.org
Reposted by Lauren Harper
bechamilton.bsky.social
Latest update of the #PressFreedom tracker is now live @justsecurity.org including #pentagonpledge #jimmykimmel
justsecurity.org
The Trump administration continues high-profile threats to #PressFreedom in the U.S. – and encounters pushback.

Keep an eye on the big picture with this updated interactive tracker and analysis from law professor and former journalist @bechamilton.bsky.social:

www.justsecurity.org/112792/trump...
Reposted by Lauren Harper
digiphile.bsky.social
Getting cited on @lastweektonight.com is a great validation of good work.
Reposted by Lauren Harper
Reposted by Lauren Harper
freedom.press
John Oliver is right. Secret donations to presidential libraries enable bribery, while public access to presidential records is at an all-time low.

Use our action center tool to tell Congress to close the secrecy loopholes and increase transparency.
Reposted by Lauren Harper
aclu.org
ACLU @aclu.org · 5d
We were at the American Library Association Conference this summer talking with librarians about the importance of everyone having access to books that represent all kinds of different backgrounds and experiences.

Thank you to every librarian working to defend our right to read.
laurenleharper.bsky.social
At some point we may see images of ICE transporting detainees is budget trucks, which would effectively make private companies unwitting participants in the prison/detainee transport business.
emptywheel.bsky.social
Going back to that raid on the South Shore apartment building. It hasn't gotten much focus that the goons reportedly traveled the same way Patriot Front does: in UHauls.

blockclubchicago.org/2025/09/30/a...
A Budget truck with about five armed men seen inside. It's dark out and the taillights are lit. The photo is attributed to KT O'Loughin.
laurenleharper.bsky.social
The Pentagon doesn't want the press to report on controlled unclassified information (CUI).

It may seem like common sense, but the DoD has over 1,000 CUI guides - and it's not uncommon for them to conflict.

The only way for a reporter to abide by this rule would be to print nothing of substance.
thehill.com