By Edward Fitzpatrick The bad news is that local TV news anchors from coast to coast stared into the camera and read from a script, parroting the “fake” news mantra of a press-bashing president. The good news, such as it is, is that perhaps there was no better way to vividly illustrate a largely academic […]
By Colman Herman In an effort to shield information from the public, it is not uncommon for government officials in Massachusetts to play word games when responding to public records requests. Here’s a prime example. I recently made a public records request for certain communications made by the secretary of the Executive Office of Administration […]
By Erinn Cawthon and Jeffrey Pyle On April 5, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts held that members of a board of selectmen violated the Open Meeting Law by using email to secretly share their opinions about the performance of a town administrator in advance of a public meeting. The opinion provides important guidance on […]
By David A. Logan Our country loves its myths, and one is that our newspapers exist to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” This romantic notion of the independent commentator may never have been accurate, as for many years the political bent of media outlets was transparent (indeed, sometimes even paid for!). And you don’t need to have […]
By David A. Logan While CBS’ 60 Minutes is apparently deciding whether to use its March 25 broadcast to air an interview with “adult film star” Stormy Daniels, who claims to have had an affair with Donald Trump and was paid $130,000 to keep quiet about it, the legal threats raised by Trump-affiliated lawyers are undoubtedly causing the network […]
The following blog post is one of several that the New England First Amendment Coalition will publish during Sunshine Week, highlighting the need for government transparency and addressing freedom of information concerns throughout the New England states. When posted, these articles can be read here. By Jim Condos | State of Vermont It’s Sunshine Week, a national […]
The following blog post is one of several that the New England First Amendment Coalition will publish during Sunshine Week, highlighting the need for government transparency and addressing freedom of information concerns throughout the New England states. When posted, these articles can be read here. By Lia Ernst | NEFAC, ACLU of Vermont It’s been an up-and-down […]
The following blog post is one of several that the New England First Amendment Coalition will publish during Sunshine Week, highlighting the need for government transparency and addressing freedom of information concerns throughout the New England states. When posted, these articles can be read here. By Linda Lotridge Levin | Access/RI It was Sunday morning Dec. 7, […]
The following blog post is one of several that the New England First Amendment Coalition will publish during Sunshine Week, highlighting the need for government transparency and addressing freedom of information concerns throughout the New England states. When posted, these articles can be read here. By Daniel J. Klau | NEFAC, CCFOI This week is Sunshine Week […]
Do you need a crash course on a First Amendment or open government topic? Let us help. Email justin@nefac.org with your questions. By Lyndsey Wajert Following the mass shooting last month at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., students across the country are turning their anger into action. From raising money for the […]