As With Bush, Obama Won't Release WH Visitors List

Treasury chief's calendars show frequent contact with big players

(AP) - A look at Timothy Geithner's phone calendars show the Treasury secretary has maintained close ties with Wall Street executives he has known for years. Executives at Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Citigroup can reach the nation's most powerful economic official at will. While there's nothing inherently wrong with keeping tabs on the market's biggest players, the calendars could offer fodder for critics who say Geithner is too close to firms he helped bail out. More»

(NEWSER) - President Obama promised to use the Internet to give Americans a greater voice in government—but in keeping that promise, he’s given America’s fringe a chance to shout at him, the New York Times reports. When the administration asked for ideas on how to make the government more transparent, it was bombarded with messages about marijuana, UFOs, and Obama’s birth certificate. More»

(NEWSER) - President Obama announced today that he was freezing the salaries of top White House staff who take in more than $100,000 a year, the AP reports. “Families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington,” he said. Obama is also requiring federal agencies to respond more actively to Freedom of Information requests, including the White House. “Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this administration,” he said. More»

Prostitute scandal steals Colombia thunder

(NEWSER) - The Summit of the Americas is over, but the prostitution scandal involving Secret Service agents keeps on going, overshadowing what was supposed to be a chance to showcase Colombia to the international community, reports Reuters . "From nearly failed state to emerging global player—in less than a decade" is what Time called Colombia on its latest cover. But because of the scandal, the old Colombia is being broadcast around the world. "The only media coverage of the summit is the scandal of the gringos and the prostitutes," said one Colombian diplomat. "How shameful." More»

Image was posted on policeman's Facebook page

(NEWSER) - The Secret Service is investigating an online image of Arizona men showing off an Obama T-shirt full of bullet holes, it said yesterday. The seven young men in the picture are holding guns as one displays a T-shirt bearing President Obama's face and the word "hope." The image appeared on an Arizona police officer's Facebook page last week; the picture was taken down yesterday, the New York Times reports. "We’re aware of it, and we’re conducting the appropriate follow-up steps," says a Secret Service rep. More»