Latest From ACLU of Washington

The ACLU of Washington has filed Freedom of Information Act requests on behalf of itself and 11 peace organizations.

Travel writer Rick Steves has been nominated for an EMMY Award for hosting the ACLU-WA's "Marijuana: It’s Time for a Conversation.” The half-hour television program examines the history and current impacts of marijuana laws.

The ACLU-W believes in protection of rights of access to government information. Information is not owned by the government, but merely maintained by it; it should be available to all citizens. Access to information can empower citizens and lead to a more democratic, responsive, and generally better government. This policy does not address the question of what information is collected and maintained by governments; it is only concerned with access to existing information. Neither does it address what information should be exempt from disclosure.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington today filed a freedom of information request with the federal Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seeking information about recent immigration sweeps across Washington.

The Washington Court of Appeals overturned a law that regulates the content of political candidates’ statements, saying that it violates their right to free speech and does not ensure the honesty of elections.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in December 2008 rejected the government's request to reconsider its ruling that reinstated a lawsuit challenging the dismissal of Major Margaret Witt, a decorated U.S. Air Force flight nurse, on grounds that she engaged in homosexual conduct. The case was remanded to the U.S. District Court in Tacoma, with a trial scheduled for September 13, 2010 on the issue of whether Major Witt's presence in her unit is harmful to unit cohesion.