The Citizen Journalist Training with the Franklin Center was a big success.

Over 50 people gathered in Clarksville on Saturday, February 4, for an outstanding training session on how to be a Citizen Journalist and Information Activist. MD CAN and the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity co-hosted this event. The Franklin Center conducted the training, and presented a stellar line-up of speakers.

We're linking portions of their presentations below.

Every speaker reminded us of the urgent need for better local news reporting. Traditional newsrooms have lost a significant number of reporters, leaving a serious information gap between citizens and their elected officials. Each one of us can fill the role of Citizen Watchdog by being an Information Activist and Citizen Journalist.

Learn how to file open records requests; access and analyze government data; track down campaign contributions; monitor legislation in the State House; expose half-truths, inconsistencies, corruption and incompetence ... and so much more! Just click on the links below.

Introduction to the Franklin Center, Mary Ellen Beatty

• 5 Steps to Becoming an Information Activist
• Watchdog.org™ Training Manual

Investigative Reporting Tools and Skills, Trent Siebert (Texas Watchdog)

Trent provided us with the following list of online resources for investigating government activity: 

• http://www.rcfp.org/foialetter/index.php
• http://www.followthemoney.org/
• http://www.opensecrets.org/index.php
• http://www.hudoig.gov/
• http://www.recovery.gov/Pages/default.aspx
• www.ola.state.md.us/
• http://www.dol.gov/olms/regs/compliance/rrlo/lmrda.htm
• http://www.fbi.gov/foia
• http://www.governmentattic.org/
• http://projects.propublica.org/muckreads/
• trendsmap.com
• http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/
• http://news.muckety.com/
• http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml
• pacer.gov
• http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
• http://sunshinereview.org/core/home

Leveraging Government Data in Maryland, Mark Newgent (Red Maryland) 

Mark Newgent This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

• Twitter @MarkNewgent
• Red Maryland http://www.redmaryland.blogspot.com Twitter @RedMaryland
• The Red Maryland Radio Network http://www.blogtalkradio.com/redmaryland
• The Broadside with Mark Newgent and Andrew Langer Mondays 7-8pm
• The Jimmy Braswell Experience Tuesdays 8-9pm
• Red Maryland Radio Thursdays 8-9pm

Maryland Public Information Act

• Submitting a PIA request
  • Experience with Maryland Dept. of Environment—charging copying fees for information requested on CD Rom
• Appealing a PIA request denial
  • O'Malley administration and scrubbed July 2010 employment report
  • Administrative law review
  • Vaughn Index

Government Data

• Where to find Maryland State Data
  • General Assembly Department of Legislative Services
    • Legislation search
      • Fiscal Impact Note
      • Committee votes
    • Prior Sessions (Search prior session information)
    • Subject Index (Search bills by subject)
    • Roll Call Votes 2012 Budget Reconciliation Financing Act (BRFA-where they move funds around to balance budget)
    • Budget Data Spending and Revenue
    • 90 Day Reports
    • Fiscal Briefings to the Legislature
    • Audits
    • Policy Analysis
  • Funding and Accountability
  • Department of Education
    • Education Statistics
    • MSA scores
  • Campaign Finance
    • State Campaign Finance Database
    • FEC for Federal Accounts(See where MD Democratic Party spending it's money and who is giving)
      • Maryland Democratic Party is Account # C00141812
      • Research federal candidates from Maryland
  • State Ethics Commission
    • Lobbying data
  • State Department of Assessments & Taxation
    • Business Charter Search
    • Real Property Search
  • Maryland Case Judiciary Database

Non-Profit Data

• Guidestar
  • Finding Casa de Maryland funding
  • MD Enviro group funding

What can you do with this data?

• Graph spending vs. revenue over time
• Expose cronyism
• Expose self dealing
• Hold politicians accountable—even those who should know better
• Compare education spending vs. educational outcomes
• Reveal Embarrassing Campaign Contributions
• Dig up criminal activity
• Force returns of campaign contributions
• Post documents you find on Scribd and embed them in your blogs

Leveraging Social Media and Mainstream Media

• Disseminate what you find on your blog, Twitter, and Facebook
  • Promote your blog
  • Top hashtags: #MDpolitics, #mdcons #mdtweets #mdsession12 #MDSen (MD Senate race) #tcot (top conservatives on twitter)
• Engage the opposition
  • Use Twitter to engage @GovernorOMalley, @MDDems, @LtGovBrown, @WhipHoyer, @SenatorBarb, @SenatorCardin,
  • I use the RT or MT (Modifited Tweet) to refute their talking points
  • Use their Tweets against them to promote your counter research
• Develop relationships with reporters and share information
  • Contact reporters
  • Email them your stories
  • Engage them on Twitter RT their Tweets, Tweet them your stories
• Arm like-minded politicians with your research
  • Send them your research
  • Promote them on Twitter
  • Tweet them your stories

A Closer Look at Maryland's State Budget, Frank Keegan (State Budget Solutions)

• Maryland Budget Deficit Presentation