As shameless as it sometimes feels to celebrate awards, it’s also true that journalists are underpaid, underappreciated, and in some cases even relentlessly harassed because of their work.
THE FOILIES 2019: RECOGNIZING THE YEAR’S WORST IN GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY
“Like the time we knocked out two English papers, a science experiment, and built the White House out of sugar cubes,” Evan said. “It opened up our Sunday for filing Freedom of Information requests.”
UNRESPONSIVE: THE MASSACHUSETTS PUBLIC RECORDS LAW FAILS THREE OUT OF THREE TIMES
That’s what’s happening with all three agencies in this case, with each one putting their own unique spin on how to circumvent the rules.
BRIC OF ICE: FEEBLE STATE RECORDS LAW AIDS ICE IN MA
What’s less known is that here in Massachusetts, our feeble public records law is helping to bolster these efforts by obscuring the process through which local officials share information with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
SHIRLEY, YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS
A reporter’s fight to learn more about harassment in a small town’s police department
BROKEN RECORDS: MONKEY WRENCHING
A rare win on the public records front in Mass
EXPECT DELAYS: IN MASS, WE NOW HAVE TO WAIT MONTHS FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS
The fact is that the update makes it easy and legal for agencies to delay for months and leaves it entirely possible that any agency or municipality can lawfully delay providing records indefinitely.
PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION
The animal rights group PETA is set to argue an important case that will determine the limits of the so-called public safety exemption to the public records law
BROKEN RECORDS: HOW TO EXPOSE BAD GOVERNMENT IN 2017
For the first time in decades, the Commonwealth has a new public records law. Here’s what you need to know…
THREAT LEVEL: HYPOTHETICAL
It was a standard public information request … until the state set up a maze to block one intrepid reporter’s access to records
