In preparation for a new segment I’m working on for the site, I’m looking for someone with experience submitting FOIA requests, preferably at both the state and federal level.
Ideally the person would both be able to generate requests on his or her own initiative (i.e. would be able to come up with ideas for requests) and would also be amenable to sending out requests and managing correspondence in coordination with me or another reporter.
This would be a regular thing and we would compensate the right person accordingly. We’d like to see some examples of past work in this area. Please reply to taibbi@substack.com or reply in comments.
I have a comment of no utility. Imagine a government that was truly transparent. A government that easily and readily granted access to information. Not one that classified everything. Not one that made you fight for even the tiniest tidbits, then redacted most of it out of spite.
Might we call such a government a democracy? One that was of, by, and for the people?
And what should we call the government that we do have, since it's none of those things?
Hey Matt. Hope you are well. I can handle the FOIA requests tor you. I have vast experience doing it and also have been directly involved with the litigation dealing with denials. Happy to talk to you. Do you still have my number?
Except I think Tom MORE than has his hands full, lol. But I suppose it might be worth floating the idea to Him, he likely would at least KNOW a few folks who would be interested with experience...
Matt -- as you probably are aware, a particular FOIA request has to be targeted fairly carefully ... often, not only to the agency of interest, but also identifying a particular individual who is requested to respond. Failing that, (in today's world) many agencies (Federal, State, local) feel free simply to ignore the FOIA request, with no response -- or limited response -- provided. Seems to me that you also need an individual with certain investigative skills, who is capable of tracking down/identifying THE RIGHT person within an agency, prior to initiating the FOIA request. Properly directed, a targeted FOIA request can serve as a sudden spotlight, highlighting a potential malefactor against an indistinct (but dark) background.
Don't forget costs and time. Many agencies will provide what your targeted, but put a steep cost on providing that information and timely response is a joke. They know why you are looking for it and know the shelf life of why you need it. They can drag things out until it is useless to you. And still charge you.
Hi Matt, I am an attorney admitted in New York with experience in drafting, submitting, and receiving information pursuant to both the New York State FOIL and the federal FOIA. I have successfully made such requests in the context of commercial fraud litigation. Please reach out if you require further information from me.
Mr. Taibbi I’m an attorney and you might know of some of my work I. The foreclosure crisis. If you recall your article “Invasion if the Home Snatchers” from 2010, you wrote about John H Kennerty, VP of Document Production for Wells Fraudgo . I took Kennerty’s deposition twice in 2012ish and was put under seal bc your article allegedly ;as argued by WF attorneys) caused him to receive death threats, a fact disputed by Mr Kennerty who denied receiving any such threats during my deposition. You were actually named by Hon Judge Waites a chief federal bankruptcy judge in South Carolina. I think I sent You the 10+ page decision citing you to add to your accolades.
I fight Banks daily and bogus documents generated by banks and servicers. FOIA requests are my frequent weapon of choice. I’m interested in learning more about what you need and offer my services if I am a fit.
Google my name with Wells Fargo snd you’ll get an idea of my history and work.
I do not have specific FOIA experience, but would be willing to learn (plus I live in the DC area which might come in handy for archival research). I am option if you do not find the exact perfect fit.
Looks like you have lots of possibilities. I have experience writing Public Record Requests in San Diego This sounds interesting. If you need a low cost candidate, I'm available.
“Gary Ruskin is an old-time investigative public interest researcher. The grey-haired, bespectacled father ran a group against corruption in Congress for 14 years and has more recently dedicated his time to focus on pesticides and genetically modified foods. In 2014, Ruskin set up an organisation called US Right to Know, a non-profit investigative public health group. He led a campaign for GMO foods to be labelled.
A topic like the origins of Covid-19 wasn’t exactly on his hit list when 2020 rolled in. “If you’d have told me I’d be working on this I would have said, not a chance in hell because we mostly do work on food and agriculture issues,” he says. But Ruskin sat back and watched as there was no satisfactory investigation into the origins of the virus by either world health authorities or the media through the start of 2020. By April, Ruskin wondered if it might be time to turn his attention to the origins of the pandemic. To do his small part, as he puts it.
In fact, his role in exposing shocking conflicts of interest among some of the scientists who promulgated the natural-origin theory would[…]”
Not to detract from any of Gary's incredible work with USRTK but that falls under Organic Consumers that Ronnie Cummins founded in the 1990's and there's a broad alliance of gmo challengers including GMWatch and Mercola & Bioscience Resource Project who were doing the COVID investigating from the outset. Check out the updated investigation from July 2020.
Matt, I've read some obscure articles blaming the supply chain crisis on California emissions laws pertaining to semi-trucks. No one in the mainstream has addressed this. No one has provided a reasonable explanation for what is going on. Everything I've read so far points to this being a viable explanation. Seems like all the usual sources are talking around it. Might be an idea for a article.
How about Ken Klippenstein.... he's been horribly wrong on some issues, but when he has done the FOIA work (I think he's been called "the FOIA king), he's done some really good reporting. Maybe in working with you some of his establishment blinders could be removed. There may be others out there, he's just the only one I've heard of with good FOIA experience.
Yeah. One of the questions with these big substacks is whether they would join with others to make packages sub stacks (still a great idea, and badly needed, but needs substack to implement) or if they would create their own mini institutions. Seems like several are moving in the direction for he latter.
I SUBMITTED a FOIA for myself back in the 80's when I was doing five years in federal prison for a Split Deposit bank fraud conviction. Submitted a in forma pauperis declaration to avoid fees and about 9 months later I received a four inch thick bright yellow envelope with probably 300 pages 80% redacted or blacked out. The 20% left only made sense to the person it was written about; you could kind of piece together the story by memory. There was also a lengthy section of me doing my nation wide Split Deposit song and dance routine in places I never been..... In fact at sentencing I argued to have it stricken but I'm sure it's still there. http://www.reallifeheist.com/2012/10/one-man-one-case-one-real-life-heist.html
I'd love to work with you Matt. However, I have no experience with FOIA demands, but know I would relish the role and embrace it like an ogre ! Hope you find the perfect person Matt. ~DN
Contact Tom Fitton at Judicial Watch. He is incredibly honest, dogged and is responsible for 90% of what little the SOBs have released. Fitton isn’t limited to exposing Democrat Corruption.He has been active in really hitting McCain,Ryan,Romney,Burr,Kerner,McMullin,Flake,the family Bush,Cheney,IRS,FBI,CIA,Libya,Keating, Soros,Bloomberg,Koch,Hillary and Co,Fast and Furious,FOIA,election fraud,Fauci,Baric,Collins,Birx,Daszak,Pharma,Tech
The best expose’ that has received zero attention( I recommend to all) is “ Sun City Cell”. Explosive piece uncovering epic corruption in El Paso, Texas. Cartel/Narco/Terrorism/Weapons/Human Trafficking. Undercover footage shows Mueller,Comey,Beto,Pelosi,Schumer,Pena-Nieto,,Cartel kingpins, engaging in pay for play, cover ups, Islamist terror cells within El Paso and the routing through, drumroll, through AZ, formerly Flake’s arena, nowcKellys’s both are incredibly corrupt, on to NM adjacent to Epstein’s ranch( shocking) also near the terrorist encampment where the dead toddler was found and children were being trained to perpetrate a massive school shooting. of course they has led a huge cache of weapons, LA where Getty’s home was raided, filled w piles of weaponry and of course, Getty was cleared by Mueller and Comey and some unknown Mexican guy was “amazingly” gunned down in front of Getty’s mansion and named as the “ Key actor”. Getty was “out of town” and the eight mansions located in a remote cul de sac, owned by Getty’s “ secret wife”, mysteriously vacant( trafficked girls sex slavery),Ed Buck’s prowling ground.. and so on. There are interviews with victims of trafficking as well. A corrupt sheriff’s office doing the bidding of O’Rourke’s father
Nobody is ever held accountable and there is always the random “ victim of a botched robbery”
yikes! Good luck with finding a person who can submit FOIA requests that get results one can use. I filed a few during my career. It is an endless re-submissions process. The FOIA now officially is an agency of lies, delays, and typical blocks at any attempt to access information that our government generates - which we all understand should be available to the public. The employees of FOIA I believe are trained at blocking all requests. I've read that Bubble journalists expect that submissions will take years to get results that one wants. For that reason, Bubble journalists have become engaged in nefarious activities in order to get so called scoops. If I were submitting an FOIA request, I would will the results to my heirs with instructions to them to pursue the case endlessly. Ha! To what end? Zero. As Winston Smith said: We are doomed.
I've read a few of these comments, and as a "recovering attorney" who has made a few FOIA requests in my time, although a few decades ago (and I am considering make a few for my own Substack newsletter), I find it hard to agree with what folks are saying here. I realize some specific requests might be more difficult than others, but you will get the material. And nothing is going to be "redacted out of spite. They are required to give you the documents you are looking for, and as long as they know that you know that they are required to give you the documents, they will reply in a fairly timely manner. The person making the request should state that if any information is left out of your request, the agency needs to document exactly what has been left out and the legal reason why. Good luck!
Holy crap - - you've got to FOIA all correspondence including but not limited to emails, transcripts/recordings of phone calls and letters between Democrat operatives and BLM leadership - cast the net wide to shell groups like Advance Democracy or Democracy Integrity Project and operatives like Political operative Daniel J Jones, former staffer for Dianne Feinstein (Democrat), a former FBI analyst, Robert H Frank, Michael S Balascio, Adam S Kaufmann.
These guys run disinfo campaigns for the democrats through their shell groups feeding press releases to reporters who get taken in.
Their latest thing is to attack people - small self-funded reporters who can't defend themselves - who say that climate change is not caused by carbon but instead is caused by the natural cycles of the sun, and the earth's orbit, and earth's magnetosphere changing in relation to the sun's magnetosphere. David Dubuyne of Adapt2030 was recently attacked through ViceNews. He's a harmless guy, who set up his own self-sufficient farming enterprise in Tennessee to go off grid because he believes the grand solar minimum is coming.
And why would they do that? Now "russia gate" and "BLM" served their purpose to get Trump out, they are pivoting to reward their corporate donors with taxpayer funded goodies for 'climate change'. A massive tax handout to corporations
The pivot to reward corporations with public funded goodies "against climate change" started on a global scale under Obama and was already running full throttle at the Paris COP 21 in 2015.
holy shit that's any reporter's dream job to help Matt Taibbi with FOIA requests. Holy crap that's what anyone would LOVE. Farking hell. Why can't you be Australian, Matt Taibbi - why can't it be GIPA requests instead!!!! I wish we had a Matt Taibbi but we don't
I would talk with the folks at places like Landmark Legal Foundation. They are super successful.
A lawyer helps but as Columbia School of Journalism showed in a 2017 story its more than that.
It's specificity. It's putting applicable search words in quotes. There are tricks to getting FOIA requests answered. But no one gets the FOIA answered in the 20 day time frame.
Hi! I am an editor and can help with that--- I do foundation and other $ support proposals for non-profits. I have run non-profits, endowments, etc. and published several books, ran communications at Teachers College, NY, NY. --- Met your dad some time ago and have been an admirer. Subscriber here.--- I also do stocks and such so I have stories on these, esp VHC and DCTH... Anyway, if you need an editor, researcher, strategist (I built $26 million co), here I am. Best, Neal Hugh Hurwitz, NY NY Medellin Israel. nhh6@caa.columbia.edu 212-666-6217
Just remember, that many states do not call it FOIA. Here in RI they call it Access to Public Records (ARPA). Most political reporters here and in every other state are probably the most adept at getting records.
Right, requests for documents under FOIA are for documents kept by federal agencies. And each state should have their own "sunshine" law, pursuant to the requirements of FOIA.In Ohio, it is more open than FOIA, meaning there are fewer and narrower reasons why a person would be denied access to a document.
Maybe this has been thought of already but if not here goes:
Is there centralized services for independent media?
Your Seeking: FOIA Writer struct me that with a rapidly expanding universe of independent journalists and pod-casters providing an independently run and supported centralized service to coordinate resources may be doable while helping to accelerate the quality and credibility of the independents?
For instance your FOIA writer. Having a place for independents to seek such services - ie match up skill stacks. It could include summaries of various streams into a library for "rent" with "review" ratings by those signed up to the independent services. Some kind of minor monetization would help host/manage these services and also track attribution requirements.
It wouldn't be perfect but the upside to the independent channels could be significant.
Just some very rough thoughts submitted respectfully.
These guys might be worth checking out: https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/ They function as a resource for reporters and do a lot of FOIA requests, mostly in CA.
I would contact Investigative Reporters & Editors to help you connect with someone with experience in filing these. I haven't been a member for some time but found them really helpful.
Sorry, I am a tax lawyer. I know statutory and regulatory compliance. I have done some work on FOIA cases at the state and federal level, but I would not present myself for this work unless you don't get any experienced volunteers.
A person experienced in FOIA requests is a big request. I would ask: What are you looking for? Is it possible to attain this information?? This is not the 80s or 90;s, this ship has shut down. Redacted documents that don't say a thing is a common rule. A good researcher. A relentless dog on a bone. I need to know what you are looking for.
This is a really interesting proposal I hope someone with the right energy steps forward and helps these reporters, they are doing important work for all our citizens! Go Matt, GO. NICE REACH OUT.
I'm an attorney who handled FOIA requests with USCIS, a notoriously shitty agency to be entangled with, and I've been a fan since you were ripping into McCain for RS (guessing you lost that Sheer Mag song in the divorce?). Hit me at Rcampbell@drmcapitolgroup.com if I'm the top of the pile.
Update: I've found one promising candidate, but if you've written in, I still may reach out in the next few days. Thank you so much for the response!
I have a comment of no utility. Imagine a government that was truly transparent. A government that easily and readily granted access to information. Not one that classified everything. Not one that made you fight for even the tiniest tidbits, then redacted most of it out of spite.
Might we call such a government a democracy? One that was of, by, and for the people?
And what should we call the government that we do have, since it's none of those things?
Good luck, Matt.
Hey Matt. Hope you are well. I can handle the FOIA requests tor you. I have vast experience doing it and also have been directly involved with the litigation dealing with denials. Happy to talk to you. Do you still have my number?
Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch is your guy.
Except I think Tom MORE than has his hands full, lol. But I suppose it might be worth floating the idea to Him, he likely would at least KNOW a few folks who would be interested with experience...
One of his helpers might jump at this chance.
That's exactly what I was thinking...
Matt -- as you probably are aware, a particular FOIA request has to be targeted fairly carefully ... often, not only to the agency of interest, but also identifying a particular individual who is requested to respond. Failing that, (in today's world) many agencies (Federal, State, local) feel free simply to ignore the FOIA request, with no response -- or limited response -- provided. Seems to me that you also need an individual with certain investigative skills, who is capable of tracking down/identifying THE RIGHT person within an agency, prior to initiating the FOIA request. Properly directed, a targeted FOIA request can serve as a sudden spotlight, highlighting a potential malefactor against an indistinct (but dark) background.
Don't forget costs and time. Many agencies will provide what your targeted, but put a steep cost on providing that information and timely response is a joke. They know why you are looking for it and know the shelf life of why you need it. They can drag things out until it is useless to you. And still charge you.
Hi Matt, I am an attorney admitted in New York with experience in drafting, submitting, and receiving information pursuant to both the New York State FOIL and the federal FOIA. I have successfully made such requests in the context of commercial fraud litigation. Please reach out if you require further information from me.
Mr. Taibbi I’m an attorney and you might know of some of my work I. The foreclosure crisis. If you recall your article “Invasion if the Home Snatchers” from 2010, you wrote about John H Kennerty, VP of Document Production for Wells Fraudgo . I took Kennerty’s deposition twice in 2012ish and was put under seal bc your article allegedly ;as argued by WF attorneys) caused him to receive death threats, a fact disputed by Mr Kennerty who denied receiving any such threats during my deposition. You were actually named by Hon Judge Waites a chief federal bankruptcy judge in South Carolina. I think I sent You the 10+ page decision citing you to add to your accolades.
I fight Banks daily and bogus documents generated by banks and servicers. FOIA requests are my frequent weapon of choice. I’m interested in learning more about what you need and offer my services if I am a fit.
Google my name with Wells Fargo snd you’ll get an idea of my history and work.
I do not have specific FOIA experience, but would be willing to learn (plus I live in the DC area which might come in handy for archival research). I am option if you do not find the exact perfect fit.
Looks like you have lots of possibilities. I have experience writing Public Record Requests in San Diego This sounds interesting. If you need a low cost candidate, I'm available.
“Gary Ruskin is an old-time investigative public interest researcher. The grey-haired, bespectacled father ran a group against corruption in Congress for 14 years and has more recently dedicated his time to focus on pesticides and genetically modified foods. In 2014, Ruskin set up an organisation called US Right to Know, a non-profit investigative public health group. He led a campaign for GMO foods to be labelled.
A topic like the origins of Covid-19 wasn’t exactly on his hit list when 2020 rolled in. “If you’d have told me I’d be working on this I would have said, not a chance in hell because we mostly do work on food and agriculture issues,” he says. But Ruskin sat back and watched as there was no satisfactory investigation into the origins of the virus by either world health authorities or the media through the start of 2020. By April, Ruskin wondered if it might be time to turn his attention to the origins of the pandemic. To do his small part, as he puts it.
In fact, his role in exposing shocking conflicts of interest among some of the scientists who promulgated the natural-origin theory would[…]”
Excerpt From: Sharri Markson. “What Really Happened In Wuhan.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/what-really-happened-in-wuhan/id1566754439
Not to detract from any of Gary's incredible work with USRTK but that falls under Organic Consumers that Ronnie Cummins founded in the 1990's and there's a broad alliance of gmo challengers including GMWatch and Mercola & Bioscience Resource Project who were doing the COVID investigating from the outset. Check out the updated investigation from July 2020.
https://www.independentsciencenews.org/commentaries/a-proposed-origin-for-sars-cov-2-and-the-covid-19-pandemic/
Not to discourage expanding your talents but to suggest some synergy by partnering with Muckrock who have years of FOIA archives & super automated submission and tracking & always on a shoestring!! https://www.muckrock.com/project/foia-101-tips-and-tricks-to-make-you-a-transparency-master-234/
But to work with Matt❤️❤️
I have decades of experience as a PI making FOIA requests but almost exclusively for law enforcement records.
I onced asked a sheriff “how many dudes you got in that jail?” Does that count?
Great idea.
If you ever need help in a Canadian context, I used to work for a regulator as an FOI investigator and would be happy to help navigate that landscape.
Matt, I've read some obscure articles blaming the supply chain crisis on California emissions laws pertaining to semi-trucks. No one in the mainstream has addressed this. No one has provided a reasonable explanation for what is going on. Everything I've read so far points to this being a viable explanation. Seems like all the usual sources are talking around it. Might be an idea for a article.
How about Ken Klippenstein.... he's been horribly wrong on some issues, but when he has done the FOIA work (I think he's been called "the FOIA king), he's done some really good reporting. Maybe in working with you some of his establishment blinders could be removed. There may be others out there, he's just the only one I've heard of with good FOIA experience.
Love the way that TK is developing
Yeah. One of the questions with these big substacks is whether they would join with others to make packages sub stacks (still a great idea, and badly needed, but needs substack to implement) or if they would create their own mini institutions. Seems like several are moving in the direction for he latter.
“Packaged substacks” is how that was supposed to read
Yea, mini institutions is what I’m imagining… lightweight and well focused, but with more institutional rigor than a blog
I SUBMITTED a FOIA for myself back in the 80's when I was doing five years in federal prison for a Split Deposit bank fraud conviction. Submitted a in forma pauperis declaration to avoid fees and about 9 months later I received a four inch thick bright yellow envelope with probably 300 pages 80% redacted or blacked out. The 20% left only made sense to the person it was written about; you could kind of piece together the story by memory. There was also a lengthy section of me doing my nation wide Split Deposit song and dance routine in places I never been..... In fact at sentencing I argued to have it stricken but I'm sure it's still there. http://www.reallifeheist.com/2012/10/one-man-one-case-one-real-life-heist.html
A foil for FOIA, as it were?
Hi Matt
Perhaps Jason Leopold, investigative reporter, also known as king of FOIA might be the guy you are looking for
Contact Asra Nomani. She just got a windfall on AG Garland
I'd love to work with you Matt. However, I have no experience with FOIA demands, but know I would relish the role and embrace it like an ogre ! Hope you find the perfect person Matt. ~DN
Contact Tom Fitton at Judicial Watch. He is incredibly honest, dogged and is responsible for 90% of what little the SOBs have released. Fitton isn’t limited to exposing Democrat Corruption.He has been active in really hitting McCain,Ryan,Romney,Burr,Kerner,McMullin,Flake,the family Bush,Cheney,IRS,FBI,CIA,Libya,Keating, Soros,Bloomberg,Koch,Hillary and Co,Fast and Furious,FOIA,election fraud,Fauci,Baric,Collins,Birx,Daszak,Pharma,Tech
The best expose’ that has received zero attention( I recommend to all) is “ Sun City Cell”. Explosive piece uncovering epic corruption in El Paso, Texas. Cartel/Narco/Terrorism/Weapons/Human Trafficking. Undercover footage shows Mueller,Comey,Beto,Pelosi,Schumer,Pena-Nieto,,Cartel kingpins, engaging in pay for play, cover ups, Islamist terror cells within El Paso and the routing through, drumroll, through AZ, formerly Flake’s arena, nowcKellys’s both are incredibly corrupt, on to NM adjacent to Epstein’s ranch( shocking) also near the terrorist encampment where the dead toddler was found and children were being trained to perpetrate a massive school shooting. of course they has led a huge cache of weapons, LA where Getty’s home was raided, filled w piles of weaponry and of course, Getty was cleared by Mueller and Comey and some unknown Mexican guy was “amazingly” gunned down in front of Getty’s mansion and named as the “ Key actor”. Getty was “out of town” and the eight mansions located in a remote cul de sac, owned by Getty’s “ secret wife”, mysteriously vacant( trafficked girls sex slavery),Ed Buck’s prowling ground.. and so on. There are interviews with victims of trafficking as well. A corrupt sheriff’s office doing the bidding of O’Rourke’s father
Nobody is ever held accountable and there is always the random “ victim of a botched robbery”
Nick Turse would be great!
yikes! Good luck with finding a person who can submit FOIA requests that get results one can use. I filed a few during my career. It is an endless re-submissions process. The FOIA now officially is an agency of lies, delays, and typical blocks at any attempt to access information that our government generates - which we all understand should be available to the public. The employees of FOIA I believe are trained at blocking all requests. I've read that Bubble journalists expect that submissions will take years to get results that one wants. For that reason, Bubble journalists have become engaged in nefarious activities in order to get so called scoops. If I were submitting an FOIA request, I would will the results to my heirs with instructions to them to pursue the case endlessly. Ha! To what end? Zero. As Winston Smith said: We are doomed.
IDK if this person would be interested but Twitter user @15poundstogo is very good at it.
I've read a few of these comments, and as a "recovering attorney" who has made a few FOIA requests in my time, although a few decades ago (and I am considering make a few for my own Substack newsletter), I find it hard to agree with what folks are saying here. I realize some specific requests might be more difficult than others, but you will get the material. And nothing is going to be "redacted out of spite. They are required to give you the documents you are looking for, and as long as they know that you know that they are required to give you the documents, they will reply in a fairly timely manner. The person making the request should state that if any information is left out of your request, the agency needs to document exactly what has been left out and the legal reason why. Good luck!
Holy crap - - you've got to FOIA all correspondence including but not limited to emails, transcripts/recordings of phone calls and letters between Democrat operatives and BLM leadership - cast the net wide to shell groups like Advance Democracy or Democracy Integrity Project and operatives like Political operative Daniel J Jones, former staffer for Dianne Feinstein (Democrat), a former FBI analyst, Robert H Frank, Michael S Balascio, Adam S Kaufmann.
These guys run disinfo campaigns for the democrats through their shell groups feeding press releases to reporters who get taken in.
Their latest thing is to attack people - small self-funded reporters who can't defend themselves - who say that climate change is not caused by carbon but instead is caused by the natural cycles of the sun, and the earth's orbit, and earth's magnetosphere changing in relation to the sun's magnetosphere. David Dubuyne of Adapt2030 was recently attacked through ViceNews. He's a harmless guy, who set up his own self-sufficient farming enterprise in Tennessee to go off grid because he believes the grand solar minimum is coming.
These goons fed a story to Vice which then attacked him - this is their foundation's IRS filing https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/824277642_201812_990_2020020717125600.pdf
They're democrat operatives.
And why would they do that? Now "russia gate" and "BLM" served their purpose to get Trump out, they are pivoting to reward their corporate donors with taxpayer funded goodies for 'climate change'. A massive tax handout to corporations
The pivot to reward corporations with public funded goodies "against climate change" started on a global scale under Obama and was already running full throttle at the Paris COP 21 in 2015.
holy shit that's any reporter's dream job to help Matt Taibbi with FOIA requests. Holy crap that's what anyone would LOVE. Farking hell. Why can't you be Australian, Matt Taibbi - why can't it be GIPA requests instead!!!! I wish we had a Matt Taibbi but we don't
Here is that study of 30k plus
https://www.cjr.org/analysis/foia-request-how-to-study.php
Matt,
I would talk with the folks at places like Landmark Legal Foundation. They are super successful.
A lawyer helps but as Columbia School of Journalism showed in a 2017 story its more than that.
It's specificity. It's putting applicable search words in quotes. There are tricks to getting FOIA requests answered. But no one gets the FOIA answered in the 20 day time frame.
Get a lawyer to do it. You'll need the letterhead to get anyone to take it seriously.
Hi! I am an editor and can help with that--- I do foundation and other $ support proposals for non-profits. I have run non-profits, endowments, etc. and published several books, ran communications at Teachers College, NY, NY. --- Met your dad some time ago and have been an admirer. Subscriber here.--- I also do stocks and such so I have stories on these, esp VHC and DCTH... Anyway, if you need an editor, researcher, strategist (I built $26 million co), here I am. Best, Neal Hugh Hurwitz, NY NY Medellin Israel. nhh6@caa.columbia.edu 212-666-6217
I would recommend posting this on RedBalloon.work It’s a new free speech job platform.
Just remember, that many states do not call it FOIA. Here in RI they call it Access to Public Records (ARPA). Most political reporters here and in every other state are probably the most adept at getting records.
Right, requests for documents under FOIA are for documents kept by federal agencies. And each state should have their own "sunshine" law, pursuant to the requirements of FOIA.In Ohio, it is more open than FOIA, meaning there are fewer and narrower reasons why a person would be denied access to a document.
Maybe this has been thought of already but if not here goes:
Is there centralized services for independent media?
Your Seeking: FOIA Writer struct me that with a rapidly expanding universe of independent journalists and pod-casters providing an independently run and supported centralized service to coordinate resources may be doable while helping to accelerate the quality and credibility of the independents?
For instance your FOIA writer. Having a place for independents to seek such services - ie match up skill stacks. It could include summaries of various streams into a library for "rent" with "review" ratings by those signed up to the independent services. Some kind of minor monetization would help host/manage these services and also track attribution requirements.
It wouldn't be perfect but the upside to the independent channels could be significant.
Just some very rough thoughts submitted respectfully.
These guys might be worth checking out: https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/ They function as a resource for reporters and do a lot of FOIA requests, mostly in CA.
Love your articles - calling out everyone!
I would contact Investigative Reporters & Editors to help you connect with someone with experience in filing these. I haven't been a member for some time but found them really helpful.
Win/win for you...there are years of experience on this thread and harvesting talent is what it's all about anyway!
Sorry, I am a tax lawyer. I know statutory and regulatory compliance. I have done some work on FOIA cases at the state and federal level, but I would not present myself for this work unless you don't get any experienced volunteers.
A person experienced in FOIA requests is a big request. I would ask: What are you looking for? Is it possible to attain this information?? This is not the 80s or 90;s, this ship has shut down. Redacted documents that don't say a thing is a common rule. A good researcher. A relentless dog on a bone. I need to know what you are looking for.
This is a really interesting proposal I hope someone with the right energy steps forward and helps these reporters, they are doing important work for all our citizens! Go Matt, GO. NICE REACH OUT.
A great idea. Hope it works really well.
Bro, hire John Greenwald from The Black Vault. He's the FOIA GOAT.
Call Ben Carrolo.
I'm an attorney who handled FOIA requests with USCIS, a notoriously shitty agency to be entangled with, and I've been a fan since you were ripping into McCain for RS (guessing you lost that Sheer Mag song in the divorce?). Hit me at Rcampbell@drmcapitolgroup.com if I'm the top of the pile.
my husband is responding. we would be a team.