Why did the CIA classify a birdhouse?
A search through the Central Intelligence Agency’s archival photography reveals the Agency once classified a picture of a birdhouse. Help us figure out why.
FBI file contains evidence of a possible conspiracy behind the Moscone-Milk Assassinations
Despite ample evidence of premeditation, public knowledge of political and personal clashes, and a taped confession, Dan White was charged with voluntary manslaughter after he assassinated San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. Previously processed Federal Bureau of Investigation records released to Emma Best reveal details about White’s alleged antisemitism and homophobia, and lend credence to accusations that the State’s prosecution of White was performed with “reckless and wanton disregard of normal prosecutorial standards.”
Read the State Department’s highly classified cables on Dennis Rodman’s 2013 visit to North Korea
Back in 2013, MuckRock user Jasper Craven filed a FOIA request with the State Department for records regarding Dennis Rodman’s 2013 trip to North Korea. After nearly two years of processing, the agency released 18 pages of cables, almost completely redacted under the b(1) national security exemption.
MuckRock and DocumentCloud merge to build tools for a more informed society
We are thrilled to announce that DocumentCloud and MuckRock are merging. The reason is simple: Mission. Our organizations share a core belief that institutions should be open, transparent and accountable to the people they serve. We’re excited to get to work to make that vision a reality.
MuckRock Release Notes: A more accessible API, say hi at IRE, plus new stickers
Last week was quiet, with only one new user facing feature (although one we think will enable some other cool stuff in the near future). If you’d like to hear the latest about what we’re up to and happen to be at IRE this year, come say hi!
Projects See all
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The Private Prison Project
★ Featured- Contribute
- 44% funded
- $4470.00 raised
- 110 backers
For-profit detention continues to reap the rewards of an incarceration system filled to the brim and facing an uncertain future. Our FOIA requests have released thousands of documents that show how for-profit prisons have leveraged the legal system to their advantage, letting companies pick-and-choose inmates to off-load costs, ignore complaints and concerns, and create dangerous conditions for prisoners and staff alike. This is all done while billions of taxpayer dollars are funneled into these private companies, which then pour millions into politicians' campaigns to keep their growth going. With your help, we can provide needed scrutiny of an industry few are even aware exists. -
Subjects Matter: FBI Files
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- 43% funded
- $2150.00 raised
- 19 backers
This project aims to sift through the hundreds of thousands of pages of FBI archival material we've released, so we can better understand why the Bureau had an eye on these people - and through that, better understand who they're keeping tabs on today. -
Counting the Uncounted: The Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit Project
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- 44% funded
- $1555.00 raised
- 22 backers
Despite an estimated 175,000 sexual assault evidence collection kits that sit untested in evidence rooms and crime labs across the country, there is no federal law in place mandating policies or testing of kits, and we don't know how many more go uncounted. This project aims to end that, one city and one kit at a time. -
FOIA 101: Tips and Tricks to Make You a Transparency Master
★ FeaturedWhether it's your first request or your first request *today,* it never hurts to go over the basics. MuckRock's compiled a lot of FOIA advice over the years, and with this project, it's all in one place.