The the U.S. Government Is Suing People For Requesting Public Records (FOIA)

(Aaron Kesel) The U.S. authorities is suing citizens requesting populace records all over the country, violating the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA). The authorities is stating that it is inward “good faith” to convey away to a greater extent than of our rights, intimidate us too delay FOIA requests, so challenging the notion of transparency and, inward turn, the Open Government Initiative.

Related: FBI Insider Leak -- Clinton Foundation Exposed, Involves Entire USA Government

Source - Activist Post

by Aaron Kesel, September 19th, 2017

Throughout the U.S. government, a growing issue of organizations, schoolhouse districts, municipalities, too province agencies possess got filed lawsuits against citizens for making FOIA requests to obtain populace information. The governmental bodies combat that they are doing too so to allow the courtroom create upward one's hear a thing that isn’t quite clear legally such every bit when the documents may live on shielded yesteryear an exemption or privacy laws. But that’s causing problems, too becoming a novel means for governments to shroud information from taxpayers too fifty-fifty intelligence organizations or private journalists.
The practice, although highly ridiculed too uncommon, has been going on for years according to Columbia Journalism Review.

However, of late the Associated Press reported iii dissimilar cases where the authorities sued citizens inward the final year.

In the source case, an Oregon nurture Kim Sordyl too journalist Beth Slovic sought details well-nigh Portland Public School employees on paid leave. The schoolhouse board responded yesteryear suing them both, argument that the records are exempt from disclosure due to the personal privacy of employees.

The minute illustration involved 2 retired teachers, Dr. James Finney too Mike Deshotels, who were sued yesteryear Louisiana Department of Education for trying to acquire information on the school’s enrollment information relating to economically disadvantaged too English linguistic communication proficiency students. The 2 eventually ended upward winning the illustration inward a village but non earlier fighting for their rights inward courtroom to fifty-fifty encounter the information too spending $3,000 inward legal fees.

Finally, the 3rd illustration highlighting this abusive exercise that the publication mentioned was Western Kentucky University suing 2 newspapers. The University filed a the College Heights Herald. “Even if they possess got a valid footing for withholding information, they even too so possess got to submit redacted documents.”

In 2015 a New Bailiwick of Jersey Judge Michael Winkelstein