The Tulsa World reports, "Journalists give 'Golden Padlock' award to Gov. Fallin," by Cary Aspinwall.
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin has received a “Golden Padlock” award from a national journalism organization for her support of the state’s execution secrecy law.
Fallin will share the award from Investigative Reporters and Editors with Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, who has also supported secrecy involving executions in that state.
Both governors also share the award with the U.S. Navy FOIA office, which won for blocking access to records about a deadly shooting rampage in Washington, D.C. that killed 12 people last year.
The non-profit group dedicated to resources for investigative journalism bestows the award each year during its annual conference to “the most secretive government agency or individual in the United States,” according to a press release.
“Being named the most secretive government agencies amid competition this fierce requires an unwavering commitment to undermining the public’s right to know,” said IRE board member and Golden Padlock committee chair Robert Cribb. “The creativity and innovation behind their cloak and dagger efforts have distinguished them for this unique honor.”
Missouri's Springfield News-Leader reports, "Show me? Not in Missouri says national journalism group," by Sarah Okeson.
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon recently won a national award from a prestigious journalism organization: the Golden Padlock award, for squelching release of information.
Nixon won the award from Investigative Reporters and Editors for blocking access to information about the supplier of the drug to execute people. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin was a co-winner for that state's secrecy about executions.
"After Missouri announced last year it was making the state's execution drug supplier a legally protected secret, officials began redacting all identifying information in response to freedom of information requests," IRE said on its website. "When journalists eventually learned the name of the hidden supplier, they reported the company was not licensed in the state, had been cited in the past by regulatory agencies and was paid thousands of dollars for its services in cash deliveries by a high-ranking state official."
Information also is being stifled about the state's new, unknown execution drug supplier, IRE stated.
And:
IRE invited a representative from Missouri and the other winners to attend the awards ceremony at the IRE recent convention in San Francisco but didn't receive a response.
Earlier coverage from Missouri and Oklahoma, at the links. Related posts are in the journalism category index.
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