Adam Andrzejewski, who founded and led the government transparency watchdog Open the Books died on Aug. 17, according to news reports Tuesday.
Read the full storyTransparency Advocate Adam Andrzejewski, Founder of OpentheBooks, Dead at 55
Tag: transparency
Minnesota and Wisconsin Withhold Voter Registration from Public That Most States are Federally Mandated to Disclose
Wisconsin is one of the most fiercely contested battleground states in this election cycle, but it lacks federal transparency requirements for voter registration imposed on most states, according to a lawsuit by an election watchdog.
Minnesota, generally a solidly blue state although it saw a razor-thin margin in the results of the 2016 presidential race, also doesn’t make its voter rolls available to the public, the lawsuit contends.
Read the full storyOhio Attorney General Releases 2024 Edition of the Sunshine Laws Manual
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office released the 2024 version of the state’s Sunshine Laws Manual this week.
The manual, commonly known as the Yellow Book, guides the state’s Public Records and Open Meetings laws.
Read the full storyAmericans for Prosperity – Tennessee Reveals Top Areas of Reform in Its 2024 Legislative Agenda
Americans for Prosperity – Tennessee (AFP-TN) published its 2024 Legislative Agenda on Tuesday, suggesting four major policy changes in the state as the General Assembly convened for this year’s legislative session.
Read the full storyTennessee Launches Dashboard Showing How ‘American Rescue Plan’ Funds Are Being Used
The state of Tennessee launched a dashboard with data showing how the state has spent funds granted to it via the American Rescue Plan Act, a federal bailout package for states whose economies were decimated due to lockdowns during the COVID-19 panic.
The dashboard explains the parameters of the usage of the federal funds, and notes that Tennessee received almost $4 billion of taxpayer money:
Read the full storyStudy Finds Impact Fees on New Housing Developments in Georgia Lack Transparency
A recent analysis of impact fees across Georgia found “large differences” in how jurisdictions approach implementing impact fees.
But the clear theme of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation review is a lack of transparency.
Read the full storyNew Bill Would Make Arizona Teacher Pay Increases Transparent, Require School Districts to Comply
Arizona State Senator J.D. Mesnard (R-Chandler) shared in his weekly update to constituents that his bill, aimed at ensuring school districts comply with the state transparency laws, is moving along through the Legislature.
“Given the importance of having transparency with such a critical topic as teacher pay, I sponsored a bill (SB 1599) that would add some teeth to the law and instruct the Arizona Department of Education to engage if a school district is not in compliance. The bill has passed the Senate and is poised for a House Floor vote,” Mesnard said.
Read the full storyIowa U.S. Senator Joni Ernst Shines Light on Federal Government Waste During Sunshine Week
It’s Sunshine Week, and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) is recognizing the week-long celebration of transparency in government by shining a spotlight on some dark places in the federal government.
Ernst in particular is calling out the Biden administration for “keeping taxpayers in the dark about Washington’s wasteful spending.”
Read the full storyThe Goldwater Institute Sues the City of Phoenix for Not Producing Requested Union Records
The Arizona-based Goldwater Institute (GI) announced Wednesday that it had filed a lawsuit against the city of Phoenix for refusing a public records request relating to union records.
“The public’s business should be done in public, not behind closed doors,” says GI Staff Attorney Parker Jackson, lead attorney on the case. “The city of Phoenix has a duty to comply with state law—and the city’s own code—so that residents can find out what their government is up to.”
Read the full storyTennessee Senators Blackburn and Hagerty Sponsor Bill that Would Establish More Oversight, Transparency for the World Health Organization
Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) have introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate that would establish more oversight and increased transparency from the work of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Read the full storyOnline Posting of Pennsylvania Legislators’ Expenses Proposed
Pennsylvania Senator Lindsey Wiliams (D-Pittsburgh) is preparing to reintroduce a bill to instruct the state’s chief legislative clerks to post all lawmakers’ taxpayer-funded expenses online.
In a memorandum asking fellow senators to cosponsor her measure, Williams mentioned that she and some other legislators provide online access to may of their public expenditures. Her own website contains a page linking to monthly expense reports. Spending listed includes such items as lodging and office event expenses.
Read the full storyState Rep. David Livingston Sends Follow-Up Letter to Hobbs Regarding Inauguration Funds, Answers Lead to More Questions
Arizona State Rep. David Livingston (R-Peoria) sent another letter to Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) Wednesday demanding more answers regarding where she is placing funds for 2023 inauguration events. While Livingston did receive answers to his first letter, he said those have only led to more questions.
“Those records have not alleviated my concerns regarding your administration’s solicitation of inaugural funds. Instead, they have prompted new concerns and this supplemental request for more information,” Livingston wrote.
Read the full storyState Representative David Livingston Seeks Further Transparency from Gov. Katie Hobbs on Inauguration Funds
Arizona State Representative David Livingston (R-Peoria) sent letters Monday to Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) and her campaign manager Nicole DeMont seeking further transparency regarding the funds Hobbs received for her inauguration events.
“To that end, I have serious concerns relating to the procurement of funds that appear to have been solicited and donated for the purpose of sponsoring Inauguration events hosted at the Capitol in early January,” Livingston wrote. “It is my understanding that you or your campaign manager publically disclosed some of the donors and the amounts of their donations several weeks ago, but this disclosure is incomplete.”
Read the full storyTransparency Troubles Dog Memphis Police Department Again in Tyre Nichols Case
On January 15, the Memphis Police Department issued a statement on its “internal investigation” into the death of Tyre Nichols — five days after the 29-year-old black man died. MPD said it “was important to take swift and deliberate action to maintain transparency, accountability, public trust, and legitimacy amongst our community.”
But the troubled police department has had a host of transparency troubles surrounding the brutal beating of Nichols at the hands of five black police officers – and a history of closed government offenses.
Read the full storyCommentary: Anonymous ‘Dark’ Money Plus Unions Generally Equals Corrupt Politics
It is critical that Tennesseans and Americans trust their election process. Almost certainly, cash is being funneled into obscure organizations in our state to attempt to influence and win elections – and shape future policies. Our state has been rocked by political scandals throughout our history. One incident – “The Battle of Athens” has been immortalized for standing up to corruption. A recent Tennessee Speaker of the House, Glen Casada, awaits trial on bribery and kickback charges later this year.
It is easy to observe that teacher unions have donated millions to political campaigns, mostly going to Democratic candidates and committees. Since 2010, Democrats replaced Republicans in dark money spending. Nobody likes to talk about the millions spent on private jets, Broadway shows, or luxury retreats by the Republican National Committee. Where did that money come from?
Read the full storyNational Legal and Policy Center Attorney Paul Kamenar Comments on May 2020 Letter Alerting Lack of Transparency in Anonymous Funding to Biden Penn Center
Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed the counsel for National Legal and Policy Center, attorney Paul Kamenar to comment on the letter he wrote in May of 2020 alerting Secretary of Education’s Betsy DeVos about millions in anonymous funds received by the Penn Biden Center.
Read the full storyTennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton Announces New Tool for Public Use to Track State Legislation in Real Time
Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) unveiled a new tool the public can use to track floor calendars, legislation, amendments, and video of all House legislative initiatives in real time.
Read the full storyAmericans for Prosperity – Tennessee Proposes Four Public Policy Changes in Its 2023 Legislative Agenda
The conservative political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity – Tennessee (AFP-TN) published its 2023 Legislative Agenda, suggesting four major policy changes in the state.
During Tennees’s General Assembly legislative session this year, AFP-TN will advocate for legislation that moves to tackle and overall improve: economic opportunity, educational freedom, transparency, and criminal justice reform.
Read the full storyAll-Star Panelist Roger Simon Talks with Caller Carl About Political Transparency and His New Book American Refugee
Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Roger Simon in studio to talk about his new book, American Refugee, and the Republican Party’s Speaker election transparency with frequent Caller Carl.
Read the full storyUndisclosed Amounts from Special Interests Sponsor Katie Hobbs’ Inauguration Event
Democrat Katie Hobbs was sworn in as Arizona’s governor on Monday, in the first of two inaugural events this week. A third related event is raising eyebrows, a ball which is funded by special interests, including lobbyists, companies that do business with the state, developers, and builders. Hobbs refuses to disclose how much they are contributing.
Michele Swinick of the Save my Freedom Movement told The Arizona Sun Times she believes it is inappropriate for Hobbs not to disclose the amounts contributed by special interests. “The public has a right to know who is putting the most money into bribing their taxpayer-funded government,” she said. “This is a continuing pattern Hobbs has so it’s not a surprise that she would start out her very first fraudulent day of office with this move protecting her friends. She hid herself from the Arizona Voters during her campaign and now she’s showing you, yet again, how she operates. At least you can give her credit for one thing, she’s been consistent.”
Read the full storyArizona Court of Appeals to Hear Case Involving 2020 Maricopa County Ballot Images
Audit USA (AU), a nonpartisan organization based in Arizona focusing on election integrity, will have an opportunity to present arguments in the Arizona Court of Appeals Wednesday in a case involving Maricopa County and ballot images.
“I’m hopeful we will win this case because the facts are with us and transparency in our elections is vital for democracy,” said John Brakey, co-founder and director of AU. “Transparency is the currency of trust and without it, our democracy will die in darkness.”
Read the full storyThe Beacon Center’s Mark Cunningham Discusses Lack of Transparency in $2.1 Billion Titans Stadium Deal
Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed the Director of Communications for the Beacon Center, Mark Cunningham to the newsmaker line to discuss the lack of transparency in the new Titans stadium’s $2.1 billion dollar deal.
Read the full storyState Senator Joey Hensley Explains Age-Appropriate Materials Act
Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed State Senator Joey Hensley (R-TN-28) to the newsmaker line to explain the Age Appropriate Materials Act and his stance on whether or not the state of Tennessee should continue to receive monies from the federal Department of Education.
Read the full storyArizona Senate President Applauds Court Decision Protecting Legislative Privilege
The Arizona Senate President, Karen Fann (R-Prescott), applauded a decision from the Arizona Supreme Court (ASC) protecting the Senate’s legislative privilege concerning discharging documents from the 2020 Maricopa County Election Audit.
“The Senate’s position on legislative privilege was supported by decades of precedent from federal and state courts. The lower courts’ attempt to disregard those precedents in the interest of short-term political concerns was wrong from the beginning. This is a huge victory for the protection of the legislative process,” Fann said.
Read the full storyMetro Nashville School Board Candidate Fran Bush: My Record Is Transparency, Experience, and Focus on What’s Right for Our Kids
Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Metro Nashville Public School District 6 School Board member and Independent incumbent Fran Bush in studio to discuss her race, the recent scuff up at an MNPS forum, and how her record speaks for itself.
Read the full storyGulbransen Joins Host Leahy to Talk Tennessee AG Selection Process and Call for Governor Lee’s Pick, Gibson to State Her Case
Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed official guest host Aaron Gulbransen in-studio to talk about the AG selection in the state of Tennessee and the unanswered calls for comment by Governor Lee’s alleged pick for new AG, Brandon Gibson. Leahy and Gulbransen later called for Gibson to come on the show and state her case.
Read the full storyHosts Leahy and Gulbransen Question Whether TN-5 Candidate Kurt Winstead Is Propping Up Cash on Hand
Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed official guest host Aaron Gulbransen in-studio to speculate whether or not TN5 candidate Kurt Winstead’s campaign is propping up cash on hand based on recent financial reporting.
Read the full storyThe Tennessee Star Lead Reporter Aaron Gulbransen Hears Crickets Regarding Attorney General Candidates
Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed official guest host Aaron Gulbransen in-studio to discuss the upcoming Epoch Times debate and the lack of transparency on candidates vying for Tennessee’s state attorney general.
Read the full storyVoter Reference Foundation Sues New Mexico for More Transparent Voter Rolls
The Voter Reference Foundation (VRF) filed a federal lawsuit against Democrat Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver and Democrat Attorney General Hector Balderas in an attempt to secure more transparent voter rolls.
According to a press release from the group, they “filed a First Amendment lawsuit in federal court against top Democrat officials in New Mexico to ensure the public’s right to view public voter rolls is not blocked.”
Read the full storyCleveland Police Officer Cleared in Shooting of Wanted Alleged Murderer
A Cleveland Police officer was cleared by a grand jury earlier this week after it determined that he acted lawfully in self-defense in the shooting death of an alleged murderer last year.
“The grand jury ruled that the officer acted properly based on its review of a thorough, independent investigation,” Attorney General Dave Yost (R) said in a press release. “The goal is always to find the truth.”
Read the full storyMembers of Tennessee’s Congressional Delegation Seek Greater Transparency Within the Tennessee Valley Authority
U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) on Wednesday reintroduced a bill that aims to improve transparency within the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
The legislation, known as the Tennessee Valley Authority Transparency Act, received bipartisan support among members of the Tennessee congressional delegation, as Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) and Mark Green (R-TN-07) cosponsored the measure.
Read the full storyFDA Announces Postponement of Approval of COVID Vaccine for Babies and Young Children
Pfizer and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Friday they are delaying their plan for Pfizer’s Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for its coronavirus vaccine for children under five years old due to insufficient data on the efficacy of a third dose.
Pfizer announced February 1 FDA had asked the drug company, and its partner BioNTech, to submit data on a COVID vaccine series for babies as young as six months old and young children up until age five.
Read the full storyJC Bowman Commentary: Government Needs Oversight and Transparency
It is a disturbing trend to hire outside consultants or independent contractors, with little direct oversight, to perform government jobs, whether nationally or statewide. The running joke is “if you have an out-of-state license plate on your car and drive by slowly at the Tennessee Department of Education, they will throw a contract in your car, and you too can be an education consultant.” Now that is probably not very accurate or fair, but then again, I have a Tennessee tag on my car and I have been known to drive a little fast.
It is likely that the majority of consultants and contractors follow our state laws and maintain the necessary integrity. However, all Tennesseans should be somewhat concerned by a contracting process if it has little or no accountability. We must also do a better job of tracking performance data. Especially when we are using tax dollars in Tennessee to contract with people outside the state. Oversight is critical to making sure taxpayers are getting what they are paying for.
Read the full storyPennsylvania Gov. Wolf Vetoes Education-Transparency Bill
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) this week vetoed legislation that would have directed school districts to publish their curricula online.
State Rep. Andrew Lewis (R-Harrisburg) sponsored the bill to provide a “standardized, simple and user-friendly” means for residents to review the general lesson plans and the titles of textbooks to which children in their districts are subject. New or revised plans would have had to appear online within 30 days of their approval. The representative has observed that many parents have publicly voiced frustration about their inability to ascertain their kids’ curricula ahead of time, with some speaking to him directly about the issue.
Read the full storyAll Star Panelist Clint Brewer Weighs in on Beacon Center Pork Report and Partisan School Board Primary Elections
Friday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Clint Brewer in studio to weigh in on the 2021 Pork Report and Shelby County’s Republican and Democrat Party’s decision not to have partisan primary elections.
Read the full storyPhill Kline Commentary: It’s Not Good When Public Officials Fear Transparency
Politics is getting in the way of government transparency, preventing the sort of accountability on which our governing institutions depend for maintaining public trust and legitimacy.
In Wisconsin and elsewhere around the country, public officials are steadfastly refusing to answer basic questions about their official conduct from the people’s elected representatives. These are not salacious questions about their personal conduct, or fishing expeditions designed to stir up political scandal. Legislators are merely seeking to better understand how appointed bureaucrats and elected officials administered the 2020 elections amidst a pandemic and an unprecedented, and in many cases unlawful, infusion of private monies into public election offices.
Pennsylvania’s Attorney General, for instance, has sued to block a legislative subpoena seeking voter information as part of an investigation of the state’s voter registration system, known as SURE. Even though there is ample precedent for disclosing this type of information, the AG’s lawsuit argues that it would violate citizens’ right to privacy, as though allowing lawmakers to access government records would automatically compromise the security of that information.
Read the full storyRepublican Legislators Introduce Accountability Bills for Arizona’s School Boards
A Republican State Senator wants partisan school board elections in Arizona, which she says will encourage accountability.
“It’s more to make a statement about the process,” State Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita (R-Scottsdale) told The Arizona Sun Times. “Right now the process for electing school boards lacks in the accountability and transparency department. Candidates don’t have to be accountable to a party. Voters don’t have a clear understanding of the political lens these candidates are going to be basing decisions on.”
Read the full storyCongress Wants to Make Big Tech Responsible for Online Speech
While there is agreement between large factions of both Republicans and Democrats that social media companies should be liable for certain third-party content hosted on their platforms, the parties differ on what that content should be, and why platforms should be liable in the first place.
Congress appeared no closer to finding common ground following a House Energy and Commerce hearing Wednesday, in which lawmakers considered several bills seeking to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
“Wednesday’s hearing made clear that Republicans and Democrats have drastically different solutions to hold Big Tech accountable,” Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who serves as Ranking Member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Republicans are fighting for free speech, while Democrats continue to push for more censorship and control. Bipartisanship will not be possible until Democrats agree that we need less censorship, not more.”
Read the full story‘It’s a Felony:’ A New Lawsuit, with Video Evidence, Alleges Delaware County, Pennsylvania Election Officials Destroyed Voting Records
A lawsuit alleging multiple violations of federal and state election laws as well as Pennsylvania’s “Right to Know” statute was filed in Pennsylvania Wednesday night, according to sources familiar with the litigation.
In early 2021, a whistleblower working for the Delaware County Bureau of Elections began inquiring why it was apparent to her that multiple documents pertaining to the Nov. 3, 2020 elections were being destroyed in the southeastern Pennsylvania county, the sources said. The name of the whistleblower has not yet been made public.
Read the full story‘Hard to Know Where Pandemic Relief Money Went,’ Admits Federal Spending Watchdog
This week’s Golden Horseshoe goes to a broad sweep of federal agencies for a systemic lack of transparency that is hampering efforts to monitor many billions of dollars in COVID-19 relief spending, according to a report by the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee.
The PRAC was established in 2020 by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to “promote transparency and conduct and support oversight” of more than $5 trillion in pandemic relief funds.
In a report released Wednesday, the watchdog details its difficulty in determining how funds are being spent due to federal agencies’ poor reporting on the government spending website, USAspending.gov.
Read the full storyReal Clear Foundation’s Kalev Leetaru Talks Transparency, Section 230, First Amendment, and the Mainstream Media
Wednesday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Kalev Leetaru of the Real Clear Foundation to the newsmakers line to discuss Section 230 transparency and the First Amendment.
Read the full storyWhitmer Vetoes Bill Exempting High Schools from Capacity Limits at Graduation
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) will not allow full capacity at high school graduation ceremonies this year, despite rapidly declining COVID-19 cases and deaths nationwide.
Thursday, she vetoed legislation that would have exempted high schools from the state’s 50 percent capacity limit on indoor gatherings, according to Detroit News.
Read the full storyRutherford County Mayoral Candidate Joe Carr, ‘We Are More Than Middle Tennessee’s Trash Can’
Wednesday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Rutherford County Mayoral candidate Joe Carr to the
newsmakers line to announce his candidacy and why he’s running.
Surveys: 46 Million People Can’t Afford Health Care, Majority of Hospitals Not Providing Pricing Transparency
An estimated 46 million people — or 18% of the country — would be unable to pay for health care if they needed it today, a recent poll conducted by Gallup and West Health found.
In another survey by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, the majority of hospitals in the U.S. have yet to comply with a transparency ruling implemented this year that would help patients shop around for the most affordable prices.
Gallup’s findings are based on a poll conducted between February 15 and 21 among 3,753 adults with a margin of error of 2%.
Read the full storyMichigan Business Groups Oppose Some House Health Care Reform Bills
A health care reform package the House passed Wednesday is creating a rift between the state’s business groups and the GOP.
Michigan business leaders formed a new Michigan Affordable Healthcare Coalition that aims to reduce health care costs without raising costs on small businesses.
In a Thursday afternoon press conference, business leaders voiced opposition to House bills 4346 and 4354, claiming they would raise health insurance premiums that are already a heavy burden for many businesses.
Read the full storyWhitmer Faces Bipartisan Criticism over Lack of Transparency
Embattled Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), who faced backlash for her overbearing COVID-19 shutdown orders, and who is now facing scrutiny for her COVID-19 nursing home policies, has a new issue to contend with: growing calls for transparency from her administration.
“Michigan is not just out of the mainstream. We’re out of the universe, basically, on limiting the access for our citizens to better know how its government works,” state Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) told Michigan Live.
Read the full storyRep. Green Introduces Bill to Open Federal Reserve Board Meetings Once More
U.S. Rep. Dr. Mark Green wants the governing board of the Federal Reserve to resume meeting in public to comply with the Sunshine Act.
The CARES Act has allowed the board of governors to meet in secret for the most part, Green said. So, he and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI-02) this week introduced the Federal Reserve Sunshine Act, HR 8007, to make the board transparent once again.
Read the full storyGuest Host Ben Cunningham and Laura Baigert Discuss the Media’s Glorification of Protesters and the Need for Government Transparency
Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – guest host Ben Cunningham welcomed Kevin and Laura Baigert to the studio.
During the third hour, Cunningham and the Baigerts discussed the protesters at Legislative Plaza who broke their deal with the Tennessee Highway Patrol yet manage to be fawned over by media outlets. The Baigerts added that there is now a large class of people whose job is of political theater by provoking the police and manipulating the news media.
Read the full storyPublic Policy Group Files Records Request to Allow Ohioans Access to the Math Behind Health Department’s COVID-19 Model
The Ohio Roundtable filed a Freedom of Information request with Dr. Amy Acton of the Ohio Department of Health to allow all Ohioans to “see the math” behind the construction of Dr. Acton’s latest model which is controlling public policy decisions in Ohio.
Read the full storyThe Tennessee Star Report: Which Republicans Have Called for a Meeting of the House GOP Caucus?
On Thursday morning’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – the duo spoke about the recent call for a meeting of the Tennessee Republican House Caucus to discuss the controversies surrounding House Speaker Glen Casada. Later on in the segment, the team discussed how this was just another attempt at a Democratic induced “scandal” to remove Casada based solely on inappropriate text messages sent before he became Speaker and unproven allegations of bad conduct. The men agreed that the caucus should be held openly so that the truth would be heard by the public. Here is the transcript from the show: Gill: Alright, the poll is open and voters are flocking to Tennessee Star on Facebook to cast their votes. The poll question of the day, very easy. Should the Republican House caucus meeting Monday to discuss the future of Glen Casada be open to the public? Is there support? Is there the base to pull him off the speakership? To pull him out of the House all together to expel him? And again, what are the charges? What has he…
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