Renew resolve on our right to know

Once a staunch advocate of transparent government, President Obama now appears to be exhibiting feet of clay on the most critical open-government issues of the day. Here's hoping Illinois' congressional delegation, particularly Sen. Dick Durbin, can stand more firmly on principles of public access and help the president rediscover the foundation that was a hallmark of his campaign for the office.

First, Obama allowed the Fed to appeal a Bloomberg request under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act for names of banks benefiting from trillions of dollars in bailout money. Despite a lower-court ruling affirming the legal basis for disclosure of who is getting how much tax money, the Fed continues to fight to keep the information secret, and an appeals court ruled Tuesday it can do so until the court gets around to hearing the case - which won't be before January.

Now, according to The New York Times, the Obama administration has also let Senate leaders know that it opposes federal legislation that would protect legitimate print, broadcast and online journalists from prosecution if they refuse to disclose sources to whom they've promised anonymity. One form of the legislation has already passed the House, but it is being held up in committee in the Senate.

The president, once boldly outspoken on matters related to your right to information, has suddenly grown curiously demure on the subject. The subject itself has certainly grown no less important. Indeed, as banks and other financial institutions drag their feet on implementing changes they promised in order to receive bailout money, the public has become only more restive over what is going on.

In 2005, New York Times reporter Judith Miller went to jail to protect a source in the outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame. We wonder what important stories of abuse or misuse of power are languishing even now because sources or reporters fear being ruined or imprisoned if they talk.

It is the nature of our democracy - and appropriately so - for people to be skeptical of their government. Voters need to ask questions and they need to know what questions to ask. But when the government hides its information - and then compounds the offense by permitting people who look for it to face the possibility of prison - it weakens their control.

We must emphasize that we are not great fans of the anonymous source. The Daily Herald has clear restrictions regarding the use of such sources in its reporting. But we also know there are times, especially when writing about government, when the only way to tell a story or to know it even exists is through the courage or outrage of someone on the inside with a whole lot to lose.

So, it's time that the president rediscover his resolve, a commitment to right to know issues that often has also been expressed by influential and powerful Illinois Democratic Sen. Durbin. With the opportunities for a shield law steadily diminishing, it's time for Durbin and other members of the suburban delegation to do whatever they can to help him find it.