Dallas Morning News, KXAS, Temple Daily Telegram receive Spirit of FOI Awards
For Immediate Release Sept. 17, 201 AUSTIN _ Three Texas news organizations have won the Spirit of FOI Award for their investigations that made use of state and federal open records laws and resulted in revealing, impactful stories. The Nancy Monson Spirit of FOI Award, presented Thursday by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, was given to The Dallas Morning News and NBC affiliate KXAS in the Class AA [...]
Citing shift to openness, CIA declassifies Kennedy, Johnson documents
By Jordan Rudner The Texas Tribune Originally published Sept. 16, 2015 In a massive declassification, the Central Intelligence Agency on Wednesday unveiled roughly eight years of presidential daily briefings from the administrations of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson — the largest-ever release of such material. The briefings, which touch on everything from the construction of the Berlin Wall to the space race, are "among the most highly classified [...]
Commentary: Governance by “We the People”
By Allan K. DuBois President, State Bar of Texas Published in Lufkin Daily News, Sept. 14, 2015 Celebrate Freedom Week is Sept. 13 through 19, 2015. During this week, Texas public schools are encouraged to focus student attention on the importance of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, in their historical contexts. Constitution Day is on Sept. 17. On this day we commemorate [...]
LBJ Library Director Updegrove speech, open records discussions featured at conference
AUSTIN _ Texas ethics disclosures and access to university admissions records will highlight debate and discussion at the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas state conference Sept. 17, when open government champions also will be honored. This year’s Bernard and Audre Rapoport Annual State Conference, “Transparency: Talk vs. Practice,” takes place at the Hyatt Regency in Austin. “Our state has a proud history of standing up for open government and [...]
FOI Foundation: Denton ordinance likely illegal
By Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe Denton Record-Chronicle Originally published Aug. 31, 2015 A 10-year-old city of Denton ordinance that could make criminals of City Council members who talk about City Hall secrets is probably illegal, according to the Texas Freedom of Information Foundation, which has called for the ordinance’s repeal. Houston attorney Joseph Larsen wrote the City Council a two-page letter last week on behalf of the foundation, a statewide nonprofit that [...]
Abbott withholding records with Paxton’s blessing
By Jay Root The Texas Tribune Originally published Aug. 25, 2015 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently added his voice to the Republican uproar over Hillary Clinton’s email scandal, congratulating a GOP presidential hopeful for saying foreign countries know more about her electronic communications than the U.S. Congress does. But Abbott, too, often uses a private email address for official government business, and in many years as a state elected official [...]
UT System sues AG Ken Paxton to stop records release
By Ally Mutnick The Texas Tribune Originally published Aug. 11, 2015 The University of Texas System is suing Attorney General Ken Paxton over his office's ruling that the system must release certain records related to an admissions investigation of the University of Texas at Austin. The information, part of an open records request by the Austin American-Statesman, is related to a report on UT-Austin's admission practices that was commissioned by [...]
AG’s office to rule on request for district attorney emails
By Kristen Mosbrucker The Monitor Originally published Aug. 7, 2015 EDINBURG — The Texas Attorney General’s office is set to decide whether or not Hidalgo County’s district attorney must release about 1,000 emails sent to and from Ricardo Rodriguez, the district attorney since Jan. 1. The Monitor filed a public information request May 26 under the Texas Public Information Act, that allows public access to information held by governmental agencies. [...]
Former Senator Don Adams to receive FOI Foundation’s James Madison Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug. 4, 2015 AUSTIN – Former Senator Don Adams, who has worked for decades to protect the public’s right to know, is the recipient of the 2015 James Madison Award presented by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. The award goes to those who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to upholding the principles of the First Amendment and open government. It will be presented Sept. 17 during [...]
Some Texas records now closed in wake of state Supreme Court ruling
By Steve Miller Texas Watchdog Originally published July 30, 2015 An economic development group in Fort Bend County is no longer subject to the state’s open records law in the wake of a game-changing state Supreme Court ruling in June. The Texas Attorney General Office’s open records division has ruled the Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council is not a public body, reversing a ruling it made in March regarding the same group before [...]
Judge rules mostly in favor of county commissioner in open records dispute
By Ken Martin The Austin Bulldog Originally published July 27, 2015 In the public information lawsuit the Save Our Springs Alliance initiated against Travis County Precinct 3 Commissioner Gerald Daugherty, which was argued in court July 13, District Judge Stephen Yelonosky denied most of what the plaintiff sought. But the judge left the door open as to whether the SOS Alliance could persuade the court to order Commissioner Daugherty or [...]
Tom Hicks, Kay Bailey Hutchison among those who helped underqualified students get into UT-Austin, records show
By Bobby Blanchard and Christy Hoppe The Dallas Morning News Originally published July 20, 2015 AUSTIN – Dozens of highly influential Texans – including lawmakers, millionaire donors and university regents – helped under-qualified students get into the University of Texas at Austin, often by writing to UT officials, records show. Among those who wrote directly to then-President Bill Powers and then-Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa, bypassing the admissions office, were famed golfer [...]
Texas A&M refuses to release animal testing records; AG agrees
By Nicole Cobler Houston Chronicle Originally published July 19, 2015 AUSTIN - Backed by a legal opinion from Attorney General Ken Paxton, Texas A&M University is refusing to divulge information about dozens of animals used in lab testing. At least 40 people have requested daily care logs and health records of cats and dogs used in research. But a recent attorney general's opinion maintains veterinarian-patient privilege and allows the university [...]
UT-Austin students take McRaven’s side in records fight with regent Hall
By Benjamin Wermund Houston Chronicle Originally published July 16, 2015 In the ongoing fight over records between University of Texas System leaders, the students of the system's flagship UT Austin have sided with Chancellor Bill McRaven. UT Regent Wallace Hall, Jr. sued McRaven last month, saying he should be allowed to see federally protected student information that the University of Texas turned over to a private investigator. In a letter [...]
After closed-door session, UT regents urge Hall to drop lawsuit
By Matthew Watkins The Texas Tribune Originally published July 8, 2015 University of Texas System Regent Wallace Hall on Wednesday was asked to leave the closed-door portion of a regents meeting in which his lawsuit against UT System Chancellor William McRaven was being discussed. Not long after that executive session, regents reconvened and voted to urge Hall to drop his lawsuit, saying it “carries the potential to be costly and [...]
State Bar announces winners of 2015 Texas Gavel Awards
AUSTIN — The State Bar of Texas has announced the winners of the 2015 Texas Gavel Awards, including in-depth stories exploring a flawed capital murder conviction, alleged racial profiling and a debate over DWI sentencing penalties. Journalists representing the Houston Chronicle, Victoria Advocate, KXAN-TV, Marfa Public Radio and The Intercept have been selected as winners. The Gavel Awards honor journalism that deepens public understanding of the legal system. The State Bar [...]
Judge prevents public release of Twin Peaks video, issues gag order
By Tommy Witherspoon Waco Tribune-Herald Originally published June 30, 2015 A state district judge ruled Tuesday that a Dallas attorney can have a copy of a Twin Peaks franchisee’s video of the May 17 biker shootout, but the judge barred the release of the video to the public. Judge Matt Johnson of Waco’s 54th State District Court also granted a prosecution request to place a gag order in the Matthew [...]
City of McKinney charging $79K for emails about pool party cop
By Andy Cush Gawker Originally published June 29, 2015 Days after McKinney, Texas, police officer Eric Casebolt was filmed pointing his service weapon at a group of unarmed black teenagers at a pool party this month, Gawker submitted a Public Information Act request to the city of McKinney asking to see Casebolt’s records and any emails about his conduct sent or received by McKinney Police Department employees. Today, we received [...]
Attorney general to investigate Smith County Commissioners Court on open meetings
By Faith Harper Tyler Morning Telegraph Originally published June 26, 2015 The Texas Attorney General’s Office will investigate whether the Smith County Commissioners Court violated the Texas Open Meetings Act while working to place unmanned speed cameras in school zones. The investigation stems from a complaint filed in the Smith County District Attorney’s Office by JoAnn Fleming, executive director of Grassroots America — We the People. The six-page complaint, dated [...]
Texas Supreme Court limits reach of open government law with GHP ruling
By Mark Collette Houston Chronicle Originally published June 26, 2015 In a 6-3 opinion with profound reach on the state's open government laws, the Texas Supreme Court on Friday decided that Greater Houston Partnership doesn't have to open its check registers, even though it receives funds from the city of Houston. The case stemmed from a 2007 request by Jim Jenkins of Montgomery County, who wanted to see how GHP [...]