We’re working to shine a light on threats to election officials, voting restrictions, attacks on reproductive rights, and more.
Here’s a roundup of recent requests we’ve sent to local, state, and federal government agencies. #FoiaFriday
Voting Rights: In September, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency opted to not adopt a plan that aimed to protect election workers from harassment.
A March survey found that the majority of polled local election officials felt that threats against them and their colleagues have increased in recent years.
We’ve requested records with the potential to shed light on the extent of and potential increase in these threats.
We sent a #FOIA request to the United States Postal Service seeking recent communications sent by top officials, including Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, containing key terms related to mail voting and voting restriction advocates or other bad actors. americanoversight.org/document/foia-…
Dobbs: In the wake of the overturning of Roe, we sent public records requests to state health departments in states that enacted harsh trigger bans on abortion seeking directives, memos, and communications related to abortion law and policy. americanoversight.org/document/recor…
Texas: A directive compels state officials to investigate cases of minors receiving gender-affirming medical care as child abuse.
We asked the Texas Dept. of Family & Protective Services for records reflecting the number of cases it’s investigating as a result of the directive.
Virginia: The state attorney general’s office recently created an election integrity unit. To shed light on the role and operations of the newly-formed unit, we requested records concerning its staffing, budget, and workload. americanoversight.org/document/recor…
Jackson: We sent several Mississippi local and state offices requests for communications and assessments related to the Jackson water crisis.
NEW: We sued the Georgia State Election Board for violating the state’s Open Meetings Act after it held a meeting on July 12 — in which it pushed forward controversial new election rules — without legally required public notice or a quorum. americanoversight.org/american-overs…
Georgia’s Open Meetings Act and others like it are vital to a functioning democracy by helping ensure official actions are conducted in full view of the public. Attempts to maneuver around it to advance changes to Georgia’s election rules are a clear violation of this law.
Any proposals voted upon during this meeting are null and void, and we ask the court to prevent them from moving ahead with the proposed rules and to declare their actions at last week’s meeting invalid.
On Oct. 28, 2020 — less than a week before the election — Ginni Thomas sent more than a dozen links to a Google Group called “20024.” “[Redacted] asked me for links we have all been sharing about the coming insurrection, chaos, and violence,” she wrote.
“It is not random. It appears very organized if you have the eyes to see and read and hear,” she continued. Thomas asked recipients to add more links and to organize the articles.
An individual (name redacted) created a Google document that organized the various links.
The “constitutional sheriffs” movement is a fringe theory that holds that sheriffs have more law enforcement power in their home counties than any other government body or individual. The movement has brought its work to the election denial space. theguardian.com/us-news/2024/a…
“Nothing is more dangerous to our democracy than a movement based on election lies promoted by radical law enforcement officials who falsely believe they are the ultimate authority, including on matters of election administration,” our Chioma Chukwu told the Guardian.
We’ve been investigating “constitutional sheriffs,” obtaining the schedule and list of participating fellows at the Claremont Institute’s Sheriffs Fellowship — a November 2022 gathering of some of the most controversial sheriffs in the country. americanoversight.org/investigation/…
It’s #SunshineWeek, a week that celebrates & promotes access to information and open government nationwide.
Today, we’re highlighting the power of #FOIA with a thread about its past, present, and future.
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed FOIA into law on July 4, 1966. Records show LBJ personally removed strong language supporting open government from the press statement. He only agreed to sign it after DOJ suggested he include a signing statement. nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/…
In his signing statement, LBJ praised the importance of openness for democracy and said the legislation affirmed American principles. But he also wrote that he felt some documents shouldn’t be available to the public. nsarchive2.gwu.edu//nsa/foia/FOIA…
Yesterday, D.C. Circuit heard oral arguments on presidential immunity in Trump’s election interference case.
Judges questioned both sides about our amicus brief arguing the D.C. Circuit lacks jurisdiction to hear Trump’s appeal on his immunity claims. Here’s what that’s about:
In Trump’s federal election interference case, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled that Trump is not entitled to immunity from criminal prosecution. Trump appealed the ruling, hoping to delay the trial set for March.
Late last month, we filed an amicus brief that argues that the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit lacks jurisdiction to hear Trump’s immunity appeal until after he is tried by a jury, convicted, and sentenced. americanoversight.org/american-overs…
As we approach the anniversary of Jan. 6, 2021, former President Trump faces criminal charges for attempting to subvert the election. An amicus brief we filed in this case could thwart his effort to delay his trial until after this year’s election. latimes.com/opinion/story/…
In the election interference case, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled that Trump is not entitled to immunity from criminal prosecution. Trump appealed that ruling, hoping to delay the trial set for March.
Last week, we filed an amicus brief arguing that the D.C. Circuit lacks jurisdiction to hear Trump’s appeal on his immunity claims until after he is tried by a jury, convicted, and sentenced. americanoversight.org/american-overs…