FOIA: The Rising Cost Of Investigating The State
Freedom of Information Act FOIA requests have helped the public to uncover a wide range of uncomfortable truths over the years, relating to the actions of various government agencies; from your local police to the CIA.
The information that has been obtained via FOIA requests has helped to further the public's knowledge on a number of topics and helped to keep them informed of what their government is doing.
It's become increasingly difficult to try and obtain these public records and in many cases you could be looking at having to spend tens of thousands of dollars in order to obtain the information that you are looking for.
The documents that have been collected through these requests have no doubt helped to unveil information that helps the public to better understand what their officials are doing and helps them to try to hold them accountable.
Thousands of FOIA requests are made every year in the US, and they are seeking information that pertains to roughly 50 different agencies.
Law enforcement agencies have allegedly looked upon those seeking such information as suspicious and might even have considered on occasion trying to prosecute them as a result.
Whether or not those agencies are forthcoming in trying to oblige those requests for information is also something that is doubted by many; even by federal judges. And various government agencies have previously expressed their affinity to have changes made, exemptions put into place, so that certain information and communications etc aren't subject to prying from the public.
Despite the possible increase in difficulty to go about obtaining valuable information, there are many who continue to fight for greater transparency.
Not only are there over 100 different exemptions there barring the release of various information but it's also absurdly expensive. This reality makes it more difficult for journalists and activists etc, to try and seek out the information.
Those behind the changes in Virginia say they are expecting to receive some push back from the state legislature as they try to overhaul the FOIA rules.
Pics:
Pixabay
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Sources:
https://pilotonline.com/news/government/virginia/new-delegates-are-pushing-for-transparency-and-stronger-foia/article_702e7ddd-5c76-5af3-b278-d57e9572bb76.html
https://www.muckrock.com/news/archives/2017/dec/12/fbi-foia-investigation/
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2017/12/grand_rapids_releases_police_r.html
https://theintercept.com/2016/04/20/how-a-simple-request-got-me-blacklisted-by-the-pentagon/
http://reason.com/reasontv/2017/03/01/freedom-information-act-rule-change-foia
https://www.law.com/nationallawjournal/sites/nationallawjournal/2017/11/13/judges-skeptical-of-fbi-arguments-in-suit-over-reporter-impersonation/?slreturn=20171112174021
https://steemit.com/freespeech/@doitvoluntarily/should-people-be-free-to-criticize-the-government-online
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/new-delegates-push-for-more-transparency-stronger-foia-laws-in-virginia/2017/12/09/01bc648c-db5a-11e7-b1a8-62589434a581_story.html?utm_term=.8c018b73e707
https://splinternews.com/police-department-makes-it-prohibitively-expensive-to-m-1793863494
Related Posts:
Those 3 Big Lies That We Were Told By The State
https://steemit.com/history/@doitvoluntarily/those-3-big-lies-that-we-were-told-by-the-state
I would like to see some sort of open collaboration of us working on constantly keeping the lights really bright on these cockroaches. I think it would be very effective. We certainly have the tools, we are just missing the collaboration.
Amazing information bro thanks alot 💕
I always like this post. I hope you will always post this kind of post @doitvoluntarily
Excellent information dear friend @doitvoluntarily, this kind of things we need in my country Argentina, Here is the cradle of corruption and fraud, the last official stole even the furniture of the pink house.
Thank you very much for sharing this valuable information
I wish you a great day
Great post! Glad I am in Canada, but we have some issue like this too. There is no escaping its seems!
Half the time, I don't know what to think. There's the sound of information being more freely available and the appearance of more transparency, and yet... there's the reality that not only does it become harder and harder to uncover anything "real," but the fact that someone is even poking around in now-released government immediately makes you a suspect, in some way.
Someone is always "in our business." My wife has a number of "high profile" clients she consults with over the phone... and we can sometimes hear the tell-tall clicks and beeps on our phone line that someone is tapping in, somewhere. My wife (who's not without a sense of humor) occasionally will throw in a few "You guys want us to bring you some fresh donuts?" statements for the listeners....
That's ridiculous I had no idea, great information thank you
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STOPGreat post once again @doitvoluntarily awesome job on shedding light on this problem !! Great information !! 👍👍👍
A Big thank you for your awesome donation as well of 4.00 Steem Dollars to my P.O.P Contest !! Wow Awesomeness !!! Will give you a mention in my upcoming mid week update !! Keep up the great work my friend , your support is greatly appreciated !!💕👍😀💕👍😀
great blog congrast!