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FOIA Feed
@foiafeed.social.freedom.press.ap.brid.gy
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Highlighting reporting that makes use of the Freedom of Information Act and other public records laws.

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The Intercept: Pentagon Inks Massive $200 Million Deal to Buy Controversial Cluster Weapons From Israel https://theintercept.com/2026/02/06/pentagon-israel-cluster-munitions-weapons-sale/
Excerpt: Federal agencies are legally required to create a “determination and findings” document justifying the award of a no-bid contract, which can be requested from the agencies under public records law. The Army has not yet responded to a Freedom of Information Act request for that documentation.
February 6, 2026 at 10:14 AM
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ProPublica: The Clear Labels Act Would Change What You Know About Your Prescription Medication https://www.propublica.org/article/drug-manufacturer-labels-us-senate-bill
Excerpt: ProPublica had to file public records requests and sue the FDA in federal court to obtain information about where generic drugs are made and whether government inspectors had flagged those factories for safety or quality concerns. ProPublica ultimately created a first-of-its-kind tool that empowers consumers to find the information themselves.
February 6, 2026 at 10:01 AM
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Chicago Tribune: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s public market plan slows to a crawl https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/05/public-market-chicago-brandon-johnson/
Excerpt: Seeking details related to the public market plan, the Tribune this year filed public records requests related to market planning with the mayor’s office, the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, the Department of Planning and Development and the Department of Procurement Services. Excerpt: The Tribune requested additional documentation regarding the listening sessions via FOIA, such as meeting minutes and any feedback compiled as a result of the sessions. Excerpt: The mayor’s office said it was withholding some of those records pursuant to state FOIA law because they were “predecisional and deliberative” records “in which thought process and internal discussions of the Department are expressed in regard to the public market.”
February 5, 2026 at 11:23 AM
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ProPublica: After Years of Silence, Texas Medical Board Issues Training for Doctors on How to Legally Provide Abortions https://www.propublica.org/article/texas-medical-board-abortion-training-doctors
Excerpt: The new medical training, which ProPublica obtained under a public records request, assures doctors they can now legally provide abortions, even when a patient’s life isn’t imminently in danger, and goes over nine example scenarios, including a patient’s water breaking before term and complications from an incomplete abortion.
February 5, 2026 at 10:32 AM
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Chicago Tribune: Illinois appeals court to review order sealing video in Krystal Rivera shooting https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/02/cpd-krystal-rivera-video-footage-appeal/
Excerpt: Such a ruling from the court would not necessarily mean video footage is released, as agencies that keep the records could deny public records requests on other grounds. In its response, filed last week, the state’s attorneys office made it clear that: “Vacating the order does not compel disclosure.” Excerpt: Last year, Cook County prosecutors first asked that video footage be barred from disclosure via Freedom of Information laws, which was then granted by Judge Deidre Dyer. Excerpt: Later, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Better Government Association, NBC Chicago and Jamie Kalven, founder of the Invisible Institute, filed a motion in court to intervene in the case, arguing that the state provided no “legal or factual justification” to deviate from public records laws.
February 2, 2026 at 7:23 PM
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Chicago Tribune: ‘I tried to grab his phone:’ Body camera footage sheds light on gas station confrontation with protester https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/30/immigration-agent-charged-body-camera/
Excerpt: The Brookfield Police Department released partially-redacted police reports and body camera footage to the Tribune following a Freedom of Information Act request, shedding more light on the Dec. 27 confrontation.
January 31, 2026 at 1:32 AM
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LA Times: Trump administration's climate skepticism effort violated federal law, judge rules https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-01-30/trump-administrations-climate-skepticism-effort-violated-federal-law-judge-rules
Excerpt: But Judge William G. Young of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts said the group failed to meet the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, a 1972 law governing federal advisory groups that requires for public meetings, open records and other acts of transparency. Records released under the judge’s orders indicate that the group met in secret at least 18 times.
January 30, 2026 at 10:51 PM
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ProPublica: New York Homeless Families Placed in Hotels Weren’t Guaranteed Social Services. New Regulations Could Change That. https://www.propublica.org/article/new-york-homeless-families-hotels-update
Excerpt: Robert Henke, chairman of the Washington County Board of Supervisors, said his upstate county was one of them. The greater burden, he said, is the cost of hotel stays, which contributed to a county budget crisis and funding cuts. Due to an overwhelming surge in homelessness, spending on hotels leaped from $579,000 to over $1.9 million between 2023 and 2024, according to data obtained through public records requests.
January 29, 2026 at 10:01 AM
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LA Times: Corruption case against L.A. Councilmember Curren Price can move to trial, judge rules https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-01-28/curren-price-corruption-charges-trial
Excerpt: “Was the thumb drive used to avoid public records requests?” Higgins asked Alcaraz, who curtly replied “No.” Excerpt: Generally speaking, California Public Records Act requests for an elected official’s communications will only capture what is contained on government devices, not personal phones or e-mails. A spokeswoman for Price, Angelina Valenica, said there was no “intent to avoid PRA requirements” on the part of Price’s staff.
January 29, 2026 at 1:11 AM
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Chicago Tribune: Illinois law shielding officials’ personal information amid political violence sparks transparency backlash https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/26/illinois-public-officials-personal-information-transparency/
Excerpt: Concerns about safety are not unique to Illinois. About 40 state capitols now require security screenings with metal detectors, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Following Hortman’s assassination, several states moved to shield lawmakers’ home addresses. At least five — Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Texas and Washington — allow legislators to withhold their addresses from public records requests. The Illinois State Capitol has metal detectors, with armed security throughout the building, following a 2004 incident in which a gunman fatally shot an unarmed security guard.
January 26, 2026 at 11:03 AM
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HuffPost: Glenn Beck Blasts Top Trump Official In 14-Minute-Long Tirade https://www.huffpost.com/entry/glenn-beck-pam-bondi-epstein-files-rant_n_69711189e4b0f8f3759e8c81
Excerpt: The impetus for Beck’s diatribe was the Department of Justice’s silence in response to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for records pertaining to late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, from whom President Donald Trump has made repeated efforts to distance himself.
January 22, 2026 at 12:09 PM
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LA Times: Celebrity PR firm helped LAFD shape messaging after Palisades fire https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-01-21/celebrity-pr-firm-helped-lafd-shape-messaging-after-palisades-fire
Excerpt: The department’s final report stated that the pre-deployment measures for the Palisades and other fire-prone locations went “above and beyond” the LAFD’s standard practice. The Times analyzed seven drafts of the report obtained through a records request and disclosed the significant deletions and revisions.
January 21, 2026 at 11:42 AM
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Chicago Tribune: Gov. JB Pritzker’s office inks new deal with outside lawyer to advise in Chicago Bears stadium talks https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/21/gov-jb-pritzkers-office-inks-new-deal-with-outside-lawyer-to-advise-in-chicago-bears-stadium-talks/
Excerpt: Under the agreement, the state will pay Argeris an hourly rate of $1,455 to represent the governor’s office “in connection with evaluating potential stadium projects with one or more professional sports teams,” according to documents the Tribune obtained through an open records request. That’s a discount of more than 40% from the firm’s typical rate of $2,575 per hour for its most experienced partners, records show.
January 21, 2026 at 11:13 AM
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The Marshall Project: Journalists: How to Include Family Perspectives in Prison Death Coverage https://www.themarshallproject.org/2026/01/20/prison-jail-death-family-journalism
Excerpt: * Think outside the box on other records requests. Along with state policies on carceral deaths, there may be other procedural documents you can get, such as property return procedures, paperwork about body disposition and unclaimed remains, and any training documentation related to specific scenarios, like how staff should handle a crime scene. Avoid blanket records requests, which can cause delays, by reviewing our toolkit on how to figure out the paper trail.
January 20, 2026 at 11:02 AM
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HuffPost: Read The Full Exchange Between Norway's Prime Minister And Trump Over Greenland https://www.huffpost.com/entry/norway-prime-minister-donald-trump-greenland-exchange_n_696e5bbae4b03601d1a5eec7
Excerpt: OSLO, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Here is the full text of the exchange between Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Greenland, trade and the Nobel Peace Prize, as released by Norway’s government on Monday under the country’s freedom of information act.
January 20, 2026 at 8:36 AM
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Chicago Tribune: Extortion trial to provide window into the world of an alleged Chicago con man https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/19/extortion-trial-to-provide-window-into-the-world-of-an-alleged-chicago-con-man/
Excerpt: A subpoena obtained by the Tribune through an open-records request showed Cheronis sought liquor license and ownership records for a total of eight restaurants associated with Garcia between 2020 and 2025.
January 19, 2026 at 11:20 AM
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HuffPost: CBP Orders New Training After Minnesota That Could Expand Use of Chemical Weapons https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-cbp-officers-crowd-control_n_696a6113e4b018dc941d85c0
Excerpt: According to public records obtained by the American Immigration Council, one agency official expressed concern at the time over putting the officers in “direct contact” with the public in such a manner.
January 17, 2026 at 1:55 PM
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The Intercept: FBI Raid on WaPo Reporter’s Home Was Based on Sham Pretext https://theintercept.com/2026/01/15/fbi-raid-washington-post-journalist/
Excerpt: A Freedom of Information Act request filed by Freedom of the Press Foundation showed that Bondi’s pretext for reversing these protections was nonsense. Excerpt: I filed a FOIA request for the intelligence community memo the same day Bondi reversed the DOJ’s media guidelines. I didn’t believe her claims that public awareness of the memos caused any harm to national security, and I know that agencies are required to take public interest into account when reviewing even properly classified information for release.
January 15, 2026 at 6:01 PM
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VICE: 7 Truly Bizarre UFO Sightings the Government Can’t (or Won’t) Explain https://www.vice.com/en/article/7-truly-bizarre-ufo-sightings-the-government-cant-or-wont-explain/
Excerpt: A Japan Airlines cargo flight over Alaska reported unusual lights and a large object in 1986, none of which lined up with what the aircraft’s instruments were showing. The encounter was logged by the FAA and later surfaced through FOIA releases, with no definitive explanation attached.
January 14, 2026 at 8:43 PM
foiafeed.social.freedom.press.ap.brid.gy
404 Media: Police Unmask Millions of Surveillance Targets Because of Flock Redaction Error https://www.404media.co/police-unmask-millions-of-surveillance-targets-because-of-flock-redaction-error/
Excerpt: A handful of police departments that use Flock have unwittingly leaked details of millions of surveillance targets and a large number of active police investigations around the country because they have failed to redact license plates information in public records releases. Flock responded to this revelation by threatening a site that exposed it and by limiting the information the public can get via public records requests. Excerpt: Flock is aware of the exposure enabled by its own product design and has tried to do damage control with its law enforcement customers by blaming “increased public records act/FOIA activity seeking by the public,” according to an email Flock sent to police obtained via public record request. Flock has threatened Cris van Pelt, the creator of HaveIBeenFlocked, by going after his web hosts and claiming that he has violated their intellectual property rights and is posting information that “poses an immediate threat to public safety and exposes law enforcement officers to danger.” In recent weeks Flock severely limited the amount of information available on its audit logs, which are designed to be a transparency tool, raising questions about how much information journalists, regulators, and government agencies will be able to get about police use of Flock cameras in the future. Excerpt: Rather than simply making sure that search audits exported for public records requests do not include license plates or are redacted by default, Flock has totally overhauled how the search logs work; in a December email to police customers obtained by 404 Media, Flock said that “to protect officer safety and active investigations, Network Audit Logs will no longer include: officer names, specific plates searched, vehicle fingerprint information.” Excerpt: In a December email to police customers titled “What you Need to Know About Recent Online Disclosures,” a Flock executive said “We are aware that agencies across the country, particularly in states with broad public-records laws, are seeing increased PRA/FOIA activity seeking, among other things, LPR search logs. Recently, a third-party website began aggregating search information that has been released through these public-records processes.
January 13, 2026 at 4:02 PM
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LA Times: New LAFD chief won't look into who watered down Palisades fire report https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-01-13/new-lafd-chief-wont-look-into-who-watered-down-palisades-fire-report
Excerpt: The Times found that the after-action report was edited to obscure mistakes by city and LAFD leaders in handling the fire last January that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes. The Times reviewed seven drafts of the report obtained through a state Public Records Act request.
January 13, 2026 at 11:43 AM
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The Marshall Project: Mississippi Prison Killings Have Not Stopped. 5 Things to Know. https://www.themarshallproject.org/2026/01/13/mississippi-prison-deaths-investigation
Excerpt: Mississippi’s public records law also makes it difficult to find out what happened. The Mississippi Public Records Act exempts law enforcement investigative documents. It is up to the law enforcement agency — in this case, the Department of Corrections — to decide if a document is investigative. MDOC officials used this exemption broadly throughout our investigation, but reporters were able to obtain information through other sources.
January 13, 2026 at 11:12 AM
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ProPublica: We Found More Than 40 Cases of Immigration Agents Using Banned Chokeholds and Other Moves That Can Cut Off Breathing https://www.propublica.org/article/videos-ice-dhs-immigration-agents-using-chokeholds-citizens
Excerpt: A police report and bodycam footage from Fitchburg officers at the scene, obtained via a public records request, back up Zapata Rivera’s account of being denied assistance. “He’s fine,” an agent told paramedics, according to footage. The police report says Zapata Rivera wanted medical attention but “agents continued without stopping.”
January 13, 2026 at 10:06 AM
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ProPublica: The Biggest Takeaways From Our Investigation Into Grazing on Public Lands https://www.propublica.org/article/grazing-public-lands-investigation-takeaways
Excerpt: Moreover, politicians from both parties are quick to act if they believe ranchers face onerous oversight. Since 2020, members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have written to the BLM and Forest Service about grazing issues more than 20 times, according to logs of agency communications we obtained via public records requests.
January 12, 2026 at 10:02 AM
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Chicago Tribune: Minnesota shooting raises questions about who investigates federal agents https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/11/immigration-accountability-minnesota/
Excerpt: “There are allegations that these incidents involved agents from your agency. In order to proceed effectively, we are requesting your assistance in obtaining the necessary information in order to conduct a complete and transparent investigation into these matters,” Mills wrote in the email, obtained in a Freedom of Information Act request.
January 11, 2026 at 11:14 AM