Transparency

Attorney general: Austin city manager candidates not a competitive secret

2018-01-12T15:09:32-06:00

By Elizabeth Findell Austin American-Statesman Originally published Jan. 11, 2018 The city of Austin cannot withhold records showing who applied for its city manager position by claiming the information would harm the city competitively in a search for qualified applicants, the Texas attorney general’s office says. Nor is the information a trade secret, a matter that would harm the search firm competitively or “highly intimate and embarrassing,” Matthew Taylor, an assistant attorney general in the open records division, wrote in his opinion. The opinion says that the city and its executive search firm, Russell Reynolds, must turn over the bulk of the [...]

Attorney general: Austin city manager candidates not a competitive secret2018-01-12T15:09:32-06:00

Texas cities mum on specifics of proposals to lure Amazon

2018-01-11T18:43:54-06:00

By Jamie Stengle Associated Press Originally published Jan. 11, 2018 DALLAS - While Texas cities vying to land Amazon’s second headquarters have been vocal about why they think they should win, they’ve resisted releasing copies of their proposals. Requests by The Associated Press for information related to the proposals were met with replies including arguments that such information can be kept secret because it would give an advantage to competitors. Some cities did release employees’ emails relating to the bids. A release of emails from Houston offered clues, including a draft of the proposal’s two-page executive summary that said it could [...]

Texas cities mum on specifics of proposals to lure Amazon2018-01-11T18:43:54-06:00

New lawsuit filed in Mike Leach’s feud with Texas Tech, this time over records access

2018-01-08T15:02:31-06:00

By Brent Schrotenboer USA Today Originally published Jan. 7, 2017 Mike Leach’s war against Texas Tech is headed back to court, this time to gain access to records related to his firing from the university in 2009. Leach, now the head football coach at Washington State, hired an investigative firm in Houston last year to dig up information on Texas Tech officials and pressure them into paying him the $2.4 million he says he is still owed by Tech. But that firm, Dolcefino Consulting, says Texas Tech has refused to comply with its requests for public records related to his firing. On Sunday, the firm filed [...]

New lawsuit filed in Mike Leach’s feud with Texas Tech, this time over records access2018-01-08T15:02:31-06:00

Support open government and First Amendment rights by donating to FOI Foundation

2017-12-29T16:45:02-06:00

It's been a challenging year for open government and First Amendment liberties in Texas and throughout the nation. The non-profit Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas has worked in 2017 to protect these rights, and we will renew and intensify our efforts in 2018. The public's right to know is at stake. Our operations depend on donations from individuals, groups and companies. So please support our mission with a contribution today. Any amount is helpful. We also welcome your ideas and feedback, so please contact us to voice concerns and share  information about public access issues. You are our partner in [...]

Support open government and First Amendment rights by donating to FOI Foundation2017-12-29T16:45:02-06:00

Media law experts say arrest violated citizen journalist’s First Amendment rights

2017-12-19T16:09:30-06:00

By Julia Wallace Laredo Morning Times Originally published Dec. 17, 2017 The recent arrest of Priscilla Villarreal, better known as the Facebook star/citizen journalist Lagordiloca, on misuse of information charges is novel, and potentially a violation of her First Amendment rights, according to several media law experts. Villarreal was charged Wednesday with two counts of misuse of information. Police said she received or solicited information from one of their own in order to obtain a benefit. The cop, a 19-year veteran, has been placed on administrative reassignment pending the outcome of internal and criminal investigations. Villarreal regularly received information about arrests, [...]

Media law experts say arrest violated citizen journalist’s First Amendment rights2017-12-19T16:09:30-06:00
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