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The Foilies 2023: Recognizing the worst in government transparency
It seems like these days, everyone is finding classified documents in places they shouldn’t be: their homes, their offices, their storage lockers, their garages, their guitar cases, between the cracks of their couches, under some withered celery in the vegetable drawer … OK, we’re exaggerating—but it is getting ridiculous. Read on for some of the worst of the worst in 2022 transparency stories.

Recognizing the year’s worst in government transparency
Each year during Sunshine Week (March 13-19), The Foilies serve up tongue-in-cheek “awards” for government agencies and assorted institutions that stand in the way of access to information. The Electronic Frontier Foundation and MuckRock combine forces to collect horror stories about Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and state-level public records requests from journalists and transparency advocates across the United States and beyond. Here are this year’s “winners.”

The Foilies 2021: Recognizing the Year’s Worst in Government Transparency
Since 2015, The Foilies have served as an annual opportunity to name-and-shame the uncoolest government agencies and officials who have stood in the way of public access. We collect the most outrageous and ridiculous stories from around the country from journalists, activists, academics, and everyday folk who have filed public records and experienced retaliation, over-redactions, exorbitant fees, and other transparency malpractice.

Six months after the repeal of 50-a, NY police continue to combat the release of disciplinary records
MuckRock has partnered with the USA TODAY Network New York, the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information and Syracuse University journalism students to file more than 600 records requests with more than 400 police agencies in hopes of creating a searchable, first-of-its-kind database with disciplinary records from across the state.

The repeal of New York’s 50-a could be a boon to defense attorneys
Though there are still many open questions about the effect of 50-a’s repeal on problematic police officer transparency, it’s a development that highlights the value access can have for the integrity of the criminal justice system.
Latest Requests See all
Title | Status | Agency | Jurisdiction |
---|---|---|---|
Police department misconduct allegations and disciplinary proceedings | Awaiting Response | White Plains Department of Public Safety | White Plains, NY |
Police department misconduct allegations and disciplinary proceedings | Awaiting Response | Brighton Town Police Department | Brighton, NY |
Bark alerts | No Responsive Documents | Marion Police Department | Marion, TX |
Bark alerts | No Responsive Documents | Galena Park Police Department | Galena Park, TX |
Gaggle alerts | Completed | Abilene Texas Police Department | Abilene, TX |