May liberty be preserved — video version

A handful of reporters showed up Thursday morning for that press conference at which the Nevada Freedom of Information Coalition rolled out the Transparency Pledge that we are asking our state legislators to sign.

As president of the Coalition I was tasked to present the pledge and say a few words about why transparency in government is so vital. Channel 3 aired a snippet of the event, I'm told. Channel 8 did an interview with me, but I don't know if it aired or wound up on the cutting room floor, replaced by breaking news with a little more drama and better looking subjects.

The R-J, of course, did a story on the project, and i hear there was a blog or too that offered, as bloggers are wont to do, snide criticizisms and specious allegations of ultertior motives. I've been fighting for open government for 35 years. I'll put my credentials up against anyone's.

What I did not realize at the time was that a guy from the Nevada Policy Research Institute was shooting video for one of their Web site's blogs. NPRI, a conservative organization, one of several the Coalition has been courting to lend support, along with groups like the ACLU, various taxpayer groups and a liberal group or two.

NPRI is no stranger to this topic. They have a Web site called Transparent Nevada that lists government salaries, contracts and other public records.

Here is the video shot by Victor Joecks and posted at Write on Nevada.

Now you know why I'm in newspapers. Speaking of which, I address this topic in the Sunday paper. You real supporters of the First Amendment will plunk down $2.50 to read it instead of filching it off the Internet. At least you can get some instant gratification by writing some comments there. We could use some good letters to the editor, too. You don't have to be nonpartisan.