America is reeling over the apparent disconnect between what the public believes the Intelligence Community is doing, what the Intelligence Community is actually doing, and what the Intelligence Community believes it is authorized to do.

With a deadline to extend and/or reform controversial provisions of the PATRIOT Act looming, there is no more important time for Congress and the American people to know all they can about Executive Branch’s intelligence activities – but how much is too much?

What should the public know? What should Congress know? What is the right vehicle for these disclosures? Perhaps most importantly, what is the effect on our democracy of inadequate public and Congressional oversight? Join our panel of experts to discuss these questions and more:

• Sean Vitka, Federal Policy Manager, the Sunlight Foundation [Moderator]
• Frederick A.O. “Fritz” Schwarz, Jr. Author, Democracy in the Dark: The Seduction of Government Secrecy, Chief Counsel, Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law
• Mieke Eoyang, Director of the National Security Program, Third Way
• Bob Litt, General Counsel, Office of the Director of National Intelligence [Invited]
• Patrick Toomey, Staff Attorney, ACLU National Security Project [Invited]

RSVP

Open government is vital for public accountability. But, it also fuels tools that can make congressional staff more efficient, improve oversight activities, protect whistleblowers and more. Hear from experts in the open government field — including current and former congressional staff — as they share tools, tips, and tricks to make you more effective on the job