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The journalists and the case of the stolen BIA documents
The occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs building by the American Indian Movement resulted in lost and damaged property, and a number of documents being stolen from the building. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated some of these thefts, including an alleged plot by journalists Jack Anderson and Les Whitten to pay for these records. The FBI file on the affair describes how a retired Justice Department senior official contacted the Bureau’s current staff to vouch for Whitten, referencing his history of cooperating with the FBI as a confidential informant.
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Holiday hangover: find out what changed in public records laws while you were gone
The new year is in full-swing, and public records advocates are getting ready for another year of FOIA and state records law fun. The end of the year usually marks an eventful time full of joy, rest, and relaxation. Yet some jurisdictions decided to make some changes at the eleventh hour, both for the better and the worse. But don’t worry, we compiled a list of FOIA related changes that happened over the holidays so you don’t miss a thing.
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The community’s needs above all: Lessons from the Providence External Review Authority’s struggle for police accountability
Driven by movements for police accountability, civilian oversight agencies have become commonplace across the county. But often politically weak and under-resourced, they fail to live up to the aspirations of the activists that fight for them. In Providence, Rhode Island, a civilian oversight agency works to reestablish its legitimacy.
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Read the US Navy’s 1975 guide to christening ships
A copy of the US Navy’s 1975 guide to “Christening, Launching, and Commissioning” ships uncovered in the Central Intelligence Agency’s archives offers a fascinating history of the surprisingly rich tradition of ruining a perfectly good bottle of champagne.
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Documents offer Virginia Lottery’s early reaction to casinos, sports betting
The Virginia Lottery says it gave $606 million to schools 2018 - a towering figure that apparently gives the agency enough clout to make Richmond’s skyline look like the back wall of a liquor store. But like many state-run lotteries across the country, casinos and sports betting are making the agency take a closer look at the odds of their continued dominance.
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The FBI investigated The Village Voice and RCFP for espionage in 1976
Documents obtained by MuckRock reveal both what triggered the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s espionage investigation of The Village Voice, and what caused it to expand to include the Reporter’s Committee for Freedom of the Press.