Failed first test

The Justice Department's Office of Information Policy held a workshop on openness Monday in Washington.

Unfortunately, the event was closed to the public.

The Associated Press reports that one of its reporters tried to attend but was turned away.

The workshop was intended to introduce employees to the new U.S. Office of Government Information Services, which was formed to handle Freedom of Information Act disputes.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, sponsored the law that was passed to help citizens with open-records requests. He said it "sends the wrong message" to have barred interested people from attending the training.

The training was closed because it was in a government building and employees needed to speak freely, a Justice Department official said.

Seems like the openness agency flunked its first test.