Aftergood, Steven
Biography
Steven Aftergood directs the Project on Government Secrecy, which works to reduce the scope of official secrecy and to promote public access to government information.
He writes Secrecy News, an email newsletter (and blog) which reports on new developments in secrecy policy for more than 10,000 subscribers in media, government and among the general public.
In 1997, Mr. Aftergood was the plaintiff in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the Central Intelligence Agency which led to the declassification and publication of the total intelligence budget ($26.6 billion in 1997) for the first time in fifty years. In 2006, he won a FOIA lawsuit against the National Reconnaissance Office for release of unclassified budget records.
Mr. Aftergood is an electrical engineer by training (B.Sc., UCLA, 1977) and has published research in solid state physics. He joined the FAS staff in 1989.
He has authored or co-authored papers and essays in Scientific American, Science, New Scientist, Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal of the Electrochemical Society, and Issues in Science and Technology, on topics including space nuclear power, atmospheric effects of launch vehicles, and government information policy. For his work on confronting government secrecy, Mr. Aftergood has received the James Madison Award from the American Library Association (2006), the Public Access to Government Information Award from the American Association of Law Libraries (2006), and the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award from the Playboy Foundation (2004).
International Herald Tribune -- New White House Order Bolsters Intelligence Chief's Power 1 March 2008
Government Executive.com -- Panel Witmesses Press for GAO Audits of Intelligence Agencies 29 Feb 2008
Associated Press -- Wikileaks Case Due Back in Court 27 Feb 2008
The Washington Times -- The Dark Bush Legacy on Secrecy 25 Feb 2008
Washington Post -- Army Says It Will Restore Public Access to Online Library 22 Feb 2008
Washington Post -- Army Blocks Public's Access to Documents in Web-Based Library 20 Feb 2008
San Francisco Chronicle -- Whisle-blower Web Site Ordered Shut Down 20 Feb 2008
