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More On That White House Beer FOIA

September 9, 2012 FOIA Illinois 0

Still your favorite FOIA story of the month? More musings on what the beer recipe FOIA says about the Obama administration’s commitment to transparency (or not), from the Washington Examiner. Some White House offices are exempt from the law, several are expressly covered, but most offices, being creatures of whimsical, […]

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Virginia’s FOIA Act faces challenge over video conferencing

September 11, 2012 FOIA Illinois 0

An editorial from the Virginian-Pilot about an attempt to extend a uniquely convenient luxury to more elected officials. Under current law, state officials have enjoyed wiggle room that their counterparts in municipalities have not: They can participate in meetings by phone or video so long as they comply with certain […]

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Three New FOIA Exclusions: When Agencies Can Legally Lie, And Why

September 18, 2012 FOIA Illinois 0

Here’s the quick-and-dirty on three statutory exclusions recently added by Congress to national FOIA policy, via guidance issued Friday by the Department of Justice. The three exclusions target circumstances where even acknowledging the existence of certain records can threaten law enforcement or national security interests. In these three cases, federal […]

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Acronymapalooza: The ACLU FOIA Case Over CIA Drone Use Data

September 20, 2012 FOIA Illinois 0

Harvard Law School professor Jack Goldsmith specializes in national security law, presidential power, cybersecurity, international law, internet law, foreign relations law, and conflict of laws. On his Lawfare blog Thursday, he previewed the scheduled oral arguments over a contentious FOIA dispute involving the American Civil Liberties Union and the Central […]

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FOIAs In Action: Matt Farmer Takes CPS To Task Over FOIA Non-Response

September 24, 2012 FOIA Illinois 0

The following is an e-mail education activist Matt Farmer sent to Asst. Attorney General Tola Sobitan detailing his ongoing FOIA battle with Chicago Public Schools, reprinted with his permission. Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments. Ms. Tola Sobitan (asobitan@atg.state.il.us) Assistant Attorney General — Public Access Bureau 100 W. […]

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Michigan Bill Would Limit FOIA Costs

September 25, 2012 FOIA Illinois 0

Agencies can charge for the execution of FOIA requests, but a newly-proposed bill in the Michigan State House would put a cap on those costs. Proponents of the bill say exorbitant fees are prohibitive and can be used to restrict access to information. But when hearings kicked off Tuesday, some […]

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SPJ Sunshine Award Honors 3 Organizations For Transparency Victories

September 28, 2012 FOIA Illinois 0

Every year, the Society of Professional Journalists  recognizes people and organizations that have made notable contributions to open government with a Sunshine Award. This year, three organizations were chosen, and will be honored at the SPJ President’s Installation Banquet at Excellence in Journalism 2012 on Sept. 22. Honorees are Bloomberg News, The Medill […]

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Out-Of-State FOIA-Filing Case Bound For Supreme Court

October 10, 2012 FOIA Illinois 0

Should non-residents be granted Freedom of Information Requests for state government data? An appeal challenging a Virginia law that prohibits non-Virginians from FOIAing state files is heading to the U.S. Supreme Court for reevaluation. The appeal comes from Mark J. McBurney of Rhode Island and Roger W. Hurlbert of California, […]