Today we present an interview with Michael Morisy, founder and chief executive of the non-profit Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) tool and news site MuckRock and a member of the FOIA Advisory Committee. MuckRock has worked with more than 10,000 requesters to file, track and share their Federal FOIA and other public records requests. Over … Continue reading Getting to Know the FOIA Advisory Committee: Michael Morisy
Today we present an interview with Patricia Weth, Deputy Assistant General Counsel in the FOIA Branch of the National Labor Relations Board and a member of the FOIA Advisory Committee. This is part of a series of posts on the Committee, whose members are FOIA experts from inside and outside of government who are appointed … Continue reading Getting to Know the FOIA Advisory Committee: Patricia Weth
This year—2019—we celebrate 10 years as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Ombudsman. Anniversaries have a way of sparking reflection on the past, present and future—the theme of our 2019 Report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018. FY 2018 was our busiest yet. Among our activities, we Handled 4,681 requests for assistance—from FOIA requesters and agencies … Continue reading OGIS Fiscal Year 2018 Report Now Available
An academic snapshot of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) administration will be the focus of the next FOIA Advisory Committee meeting on March 20, 2019, in the William G. McGowan Theater at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The meeting, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., is the third of the 2018-2020 term of the … Continue reading Mark Your Calendars: Wednesday, March 20, 2019 FOIA Advisory Committee Meeting
Although Washington, DC, is facing the latest round of winter weather, we at OGIS are excited to announce our Sunshine Week 2019 event. Sunshine Week is an annual nationwide celebration of access to public information. Since the American Society of News Editors (ASNE) launched the initiative more than a decade ago, journalists, librarians, concerned citizens, civil … Continue reading Save the Date: Sunshine Week 2019!
The FOIA process, like any relationship, depends on good communications. In the spirit of the season, OGIS offers Valentines greetings to FOIA stakeholders who demonstrate good communication skills every day. We love all hardworking FOIA professionals, but particularly those who pick up the phone to talk to requesters. While making a call is an investment … Continue reading Will You Be Our (FOIA) Valentine?
Congress has temporarily restored funding of appropriated activities, and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) resumed normal operations as of January 28, 2019. We at OGIS returned to our offices this week to find more than 450 requests for assistance that accumulated during the shutdown. We have devoted our time since returning to the … Continue reading Catching up with OGIS
The Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) held its 40th annual conference earlier this month in Philadelphia, PA. COGEL is the preeminent organization of government ethics administrators, and its members work in the fields of governmental ethics, freedom of information (FOI), elections, lobbying and campaign finance. Members include governmental entities (state, local, and foreign) educational … Continue reading Freedom (of Information) Rings at COGEL 2018
In this season of gratitude, we at OGIS would like to pause and give thanks for: FOIA professionals: Our work resolving FOIA disputes and evaluating compliance brings us into contact with many FOIA professionals from many agencies. We are thankful for how hard they work every single day to carefully balance the interests of disclosure … Continue reading OGIS gives thanks for…
The intersection of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and records management will be the focus of the next FOIA Advisory Committee meeting on November 29, 2018, in the William G. McGowan Theater at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The meeting, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., is the second of the 2018-2020 term … Continue reading Next FOIA Advisory Committee Meeting: November 29, 2018
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