National Freedom of Information Coalition
Protecting Your Right to Open Government

Author: NFOIC

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FOIA requests may illustrate foreign despots’ access to U.S. surveillance devices

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From Courthouse News Service:  A federal judge may shine a light on foreign dictatorships that have imported illegal surveillance and jamming technology from the United States.

Events from the so-called Arab Spring show that Middle Eastern dictators have used Western technology to quash uprisings, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a nonprofit digital watchdog group, has said.

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County transit district (Cal.) set to change email retention policy

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From inewsource:  In the midst of an inewsource investigation and with state and federal agencies eyeing its practices, the North County Transit District is considering a policy change that would direct employees to delete certain emails after 60 days.

NCTD currently keeps emails, which often are important documentation of official public business, for two years. The NCTD board is scheduled to vote on the matter Thursday, and it comes at a key point in the agency’s accountability.

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Lawsuit claims Carolinas HealthCare System violated public records law

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From CharlotteObserver.com:  A Charlotte attorney contends in a lawsuit that one of the nation’s largest public hospital chains, Carolinas HealthCare System, has violated the state public records law by keeping secret the terms of a legal settlement.

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Springfield (Ill.) loses FOIA lawsuit again

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From NewsRadio WTAX:  A man suing the city for the release of internal police files has won — again.

Calvin Christian sued the city to release internal affairs files regarding a 2011 request. Sangamon County Circuit Judge John Schmidt ruled the city could not keep secret police documents, other than to redact names, birthdates, social security numbers and other personal information. Video interviews, the judge ruled, must be transcribed and redacted accordingly.

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“FOIA Terrorist” Jason Leopold shares his transparency secrets

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From MuckRock:   Jason Leopold has used the Freedom of Information Act to break a number of major stories, from the drugging of Department of Defense detainees to the Biblical justifications the Air Force used for nuclear war to a drawn-out battle with the FBI over Occupy Wall Street documents.

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Arkansas Secretary of State responds partially to FOIA request

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From The City Wire:   A Freedom of Information Act request filed with Secretary of State Mark Martin's office on June 2 has partially been fulfilled, but not before a lawsuit was filed to compel Martin's office to turn over the documents in electronic format.

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Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition hires executive director

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The Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition (formerly  Colorado Freedom of Information Council), an alliance of groups and individuals committed to ensuring the transparency of state and local governments in Colorado, has named Jeffrey A. Roberts as executive director.

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Emails stoke conflict in Middletown (New Jersey)

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From The Asbury Park Press:  Township Public Library Director Susan O’Neal zipped off a quick email to township government critic and library supporter Linda Baum on April 18, suggesting that she request a copy of the audio recording from the library meeting the prior night.

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Squaring reform with Virginia FOIA curbs

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From The News Leader:  Virginia lawmakers, elected leaders and those trying to get elected can’t seem to embrace ethics and financial disclosure reform for public officials fast enough since troubling questions about unreported gifts to Gov. Bob McDonnell triggered federal and state criminal investigations.

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