How FOIA Gave Rise to Government Transparency Laws Around the World
Flawed as it may be, the U.S. Freedom of Information Act became a model in transparency for other countries to follow.
Transparency
The Bureau of Prisons' Casual Cruelty to Families of Those Who Die Behind Bars
Families whose loved ones died in federal prisons describe outrageous delays in being notified, ignored phone calls, and troubling discrepancies in the official reports.
Abolish FOIA
FOIA has no teeth and bureaucrats abuse its exemptions. Just redact and release every federal workers' emails instead.
Want To Lower the Political Temperature? Make the Presidency Less Important
Congress needs to reassert its powers and bring the imperial presidency back down to earth.
A Florida Judge Blocked a Newspaper from Publishing Video of a Jail Death
The Ocala Gazette says the footage contradicts the Marion County sheriff's claims about Scott Whitley's death. A judge won't let the paper publish the video.
Federal Judge Rules Inmate Death Records Can Remain Secret Because They Could Embarrass Prison Officials
The Reason Foundation filed a FOIA lawsuit last year seeking reviews of deaths at two federal women's prisons with numerous allegations of medical neglect.
Albuquerque's Police Chief Says Cops Have a 5th Amendment Right To Leave Their Body Cameras Off
Harold Medina made that argument during an internal investigation of a car crash he caused last February.
She 'Came at Me With Boiling Water,' a Cop Charged With Murder Claims, Contradicting What Video Shows
An Illinois sheriff's deputy with a spotty employment history shot Sonya Massey in the face after responding to her report of a prowler.
Ron DeSantis Won't Stop Trying To Gut Florida's Public Records Law
DeSantis' chief of staff used a personal phone to coordinate migrant flights to Martha's Vineyard. Now DeSantis' lawyers say those phone logs should be secret.
A Florida Man Was Arrested for Filming Marion County Sheriff's Deputies. Now He's Suing.
Numerous federal appeals courts have ruled that filming police is protected under the First Amendment, but police continue to illegally arrest people for it.
Anthony Fauci's Inner Circle Initially Thought COVID Came From a Lab
Sen. Rand Paul explains why FOIA litigation shouldn’t have been necessary to find this out.
What Can You Do While Waiting for a FOIA Response?
It often takes almost a year or more to get public records from the federal government. Here are some things you can do while you wait.
Anthony Fauci Gives Misleading, Evasive Answers About NIH-Funded Research at Wuhan Lab
At yesterday's congressional hearing, the former NIAID director played word games and shifted blame in an effort to dismiss credible claims that his agency funded work that caused the pandemic.
Hey, Fauci's Staff: You Can't Just 'Make Your Emails Disappear'
A government scientist is the latest official whose attempts to evade the Freedom of Information Act have landed him in hot water.
House Passes a Bill To Create Independent Oversight of the Troubled Federal Prison System
Staff shortages and chronic corruption have plagued the Bureau of Prisons for years, exposing inmates to abuse and whistleblowers to retaliation.
New Jersey Mayors Want the Power To Sue You For Asking Too Many Questions
A bill backed by the Conference of Mayors would let courts issue restraining orders when people “harass” officials with information requests.
Even If You Support Police, Don't Ban People From Recording Them
Filming cops is a First Amendment right, and there are already plenty of laws against harassing them.
A Year Before Albuquerque's Police Corruption Scandal Made Headlines, an Internal Probe Found Nothing
In 2022, police received a tip that officers were getting paid to make DWI cases disappear—the same allegation that prompted FBI raids in January.
Los Angeles Undermines Freedom of Information In Suit Over Police Photos
City gives journalist photos. Journalist publishes photos. City…sues journalist?
Biden Hints at Freedom for Julian Assange
U.S. need for Australia’s cooperation in the Pacific may win the journalist’s release.
Ron DeSantis Signs Florida Bill Limiting How Close Bystanders Can Get to Police
The law makes it a misdemeanor to approach within 25 feet of a first responder after receiving a verbal warning to stay away.
The White House Lied About Its IRS Funding Only Targeting the Rich
Plus: A listener asks the editors for examples of left-leaning thinkers who also hold libertarian ideas.
Promise-Breaking IRS
Plus: Ethan Mollick on AI, Nancy Pelosi's kente cloth, hurricanes may destroy us all, and more...
Albuquerque's Police Chief Ran a Red Light and Broadsided a Car. A Review Board Says It Was Unavoidable.
Harold Medina, who severely injured a driver while fleeing a gunman, ordered a thorough investigation of his own conduct.
A 5th Albuquerque Cop Resigns Amid Widening DWI Corruption Scandal
"There is a much bigger story here," the officer's lawyer says. "It goes outward and upward."
Supreme Court Says Officials Who Block Critics on Social Media Might Be Violating the First Amendment
The justices established guidelines for determining whether that is true in any particular case.
The Government Doesn't Want You To See the Unused Space Force Logos
It took the Air Force four years to release redacted records of its quest to create spiffy new uniforms for the newest branch of the military.
Without More Accountability, Sunshine Laws Are Toothless
An AP survey found that most states have no mechanism to appeal denials of records requests, outside of filing a lawsuit.
Feds Enforcing Unconstitutional Reporting Law Against Most Businesses
Are you in compliance with the Corporate Transparency Act? Have you even heard of it?
Rand Paul's Bill Would Require NIH Scientists To Disclose Royalties They Receive From Drug Companies
The Royalty Transparency Act passed unanimously out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee yesterday.
New Mexico MADD 'Officer of the Year' Resigns Amid DWI Corruption Scandal
Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina, who promised to "get to the bottom of this," is himself the subject of an internal investigation after broadsiding a car last month.
Florida Bills Would Hide the Names of Police Officers Who Kill People
The bills would classify police and correctional officers who kill people on the job as crime victims.
HUD Refuses To Release Secretary Marcia Fudge's Email Address in Response to Reason FOIA Request
Cabinet officials often use pseudonymous email accounts, but declaring them secret from records requests is another matter altogether.
ICE Leaked These Asylum Seekers' Personal Information. A Court Just Dismissed Their Lawsuit.
“The victims may not have been persecuted or tortured due to the data breach yet, but the likelihood of those outcomes has increased due to ICE’s conduct.”
All I Want for Christmas Is for Congress To Exercise Fiscal Restraint
Lawmakers can take small steps that are uncontroversial and bipartisan to jumpstart the fiscal stability process.
The Best of Reason: Monkey Herpes, Face Eating, and the Pork Chop Gang: The Origins of Florida Man
The growing anti-transparency atmosphere in the state might make the Florida Man extinct.
Monkey Herpes, Face Eating, and the Pork Chop Gang: How Public Records Laws Created the Florida Man
The growing anti-transparency atmosphere in the state might make the Florida Man extinct.
Florida Supreme Court Rules Police Can't Use Marsy's Law To Hide Names of Officers Who Shoot People
"Marsy's Law guarantees to no victim—police officer or otherwise—the categorical right to withhold his or her name from disclosure," the Florida Supreme Court ruled.
A Bonus Reason Roundtable Featuring Four 'Florida Men' of Our Own
Plus: The Reason webathon is happening right now. Donate so we can make more fun podcasts like this one!
NYPD Will Spend Nearly $400 Million to Hide its Radio Communications
NYPD radio frequencies have been open to the public since 1932. A new encrypted system will end that.
Michigan Lawmakers Signed Nondisclosure Agreements, Can't Discuss Corporate Welfare Scheme
If states insist upon giving away taxpayer money to private companies, the least they can offer in return is transparency.
The U.S. Needs a Fiscal Commission Because Congress Won't Do Its Job
In the last 50 years, when the budget process has been in place, Congress has managed only four times to pass a budget on time.
Do the Proud Boys Deserve To Be in Prison Forever?
Plus: A listener question concerning porn verification laws.
Joe Biden's Email Aliases Are a Potentially Serious Transparency Problem
Multiple administrations have allowed senior officials to use alias email accounts. The practice undermines the Freedom of Information Act and encourages secrecy.
Is the Budget Process Broken, or Is Congress Just Refusing To Do Its Job?
Since Congress designed and implemented the last budget process in 1974, only on four occasions have all of the appropriations bills for discretionary spending been passed on time.
