Reporters group faults Gonzales for limiting access to government information News
Reporters group faults Gonzales for limiting access to government information

[JURIST] The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has released a report on US Attorney General nominee Alberto Gonzales concluding that while he recognizes First Amendment interests in newsgathering and reporting, his record as a Texas Supreme Court judge and as White House counsel advising the President on such matters as Presidential papers, the Cheney energy task force and proceedings against Guantanamo detainees suggests he will favor strict regulation of access to government and executive-branch information. The RCFP ominously notes that "If confirmed, [Gonzales] will have an even greater role in setting the standard for public access to government information." Read the RCFP report and this press release. JURIST's Paper Chase has background on the Gonzales nomination.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Laws of Burgos put into effect

The Spanish Crown put the Laws of Burgos into effect on December 27, 1512. These laws governed the relationship of Spanish settlers with the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. The laws established the encomienda system of labor, promoted conversion to Catholicism, and safeguarded the indigenous peoples from physical abuse.  However, historians argue that the laws were ineffective at protecting the rights of the indigenous population. Learn more from the Library of Congress.

Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public bar smashing

On December 27, 1900, militant Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public smashing of a bar, at the Carey Hotel in Wichita, Kansas. Nation argued that destroying bars was an acceptable means of battling the liquor trade since the Kansas Constitution prohibited alcohol. Learn more about Carrie Nation.

World Bank created

On December 27, 1944, the World Bank was created during the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA. Learn more about the history of the World Bank.