Category: Freedom of Information Act

Gov. Kathleen Hochul at an 7 Oct. 2021 legislative signing addressing drug-overdoses. Gov. Hochul says the right things about transparency, but it's still very hard work for the public to access public records from the Government. Gov. Kathleen Hochul's YouTube Channel/Fair Use

20 Agencies account for over 66 per cent. of FOIL Appeals, according to NYS Committee on Open Government report

Just 20 Government Agencies in New York State are responsible for over 66 per cent. of FOIL Appeals, Committee on Open Government data show.

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On 31 August, Gov. Kathleen Hochul called a special Legislative Session to address the eviction moratorium, a change to the open meetings law, and to further the legalisation of cannabis. The special session took place under "secrecy rules." Gov. Kathleen Hochul's YouTube Channel/Fair Use

With a promise of transparency as her “hallmark,” Gov. Hochul has far to go to ensure truly open Government in New York

Though Gov. Kathleen Hochul has promised to improve Government transparency, she ignores problems at the Committee on Open Government.

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The U.S. Attorney's Office remained silent after Mayor Bill de Blasio both announced the restoration of COVID-19 testing data and questioned its accuracy, contributing to a sense of a loss of confidence in Government. Mayor Bill de Blasio's Official YouTube Channel/Fair Use

U.S. Attorney’s Office mum after missing COVID-19 testing data was restored without explanation by Mayor Bill de Blasio

The U.S. Attorney’s Office remained silent after Mayor Bill de Blasio both announced the restoration of COVID-19 testing data and questioned its accuracy, contributing to a sense of a loss of confidence in Government.

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In the two days following the release of Government data by the NYC Health Agency showing COVID-19 positivity test results approaching 15 per cent., the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio stopped releasing the data. NYC Health (Fair Use)

de Blasio administration mum as COVID-19 test data disappeared after positivity began to approach 15 per cent. in some NYC zip codes

The administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio (WFP-New York City) refuses to address the disappearance of COVID-19 test data from the Government’s Web site.

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The administration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) has been accused of obstructing the release of information about COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes in order to avoid a Federal investigation. The cover-up is now the reported preliminary inquiry by the office of Acting U.S. Attorney Seth DuCharme. Fair Use Screenshot of Gov. Cuomo (YouTube) ; Public Domain portrait of Acting U.S. Attorney DuCharme (U.S. Dept. Of Justice)

U.S. Attorney’s Office, which argued that the Government could comply with records requests at their discretion, to probe Cuomo over COVID-19 nursing home deaths cover-up

The Brooklyn U.S. Attorney’s Office, charged with handling the probe into Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s handling of COVID-19 nursing homes deaths, has previously defended the Government’s violations of open records requests.

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New York public defender Tiffany Cabán offered hope for political reform. Had she been elected as Queens District Attorney, her win would have represented success for an electoral strategy toward Government reform. Her loss, however, deals a blow to long-needed prosecutorial and judicial reform. Cabán for Queens/Fair Use

In New York, movements for reform meet barriers of entrenched machine politics, and élites survive — for now

Machine politics determined each of the outcome of the Queens District Attorney’s race, the staff of U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and rulings by Court systems, giving New York élites power to withstand demands for reform by social and economic justice movements.

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Chief U.S. District Court Judge, who sits on the same Judicial Council overseeing at least one complaint filed against U.S District Court Judge John Koeltl that also permitted Mayranne Trump Barry to resign in lieu of facing possible disciplinary action over her alleged role in an alleged tax dodge scheme benefitting her brother President Donald Trump. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Colleen McMahon, left, in an incredited photograph. Donald Trump and Maryanne Trump Barry, right. Fair Use

Judicial Council member Colleen McMahon, who would have ruled on at least one Judge John Koeltl complaint, let First Sister Maryanne Trump Barry resign prior to potential disciplinary action

Chief U.S. District Court Judge Colleen McMahon, who remained silent to pleas for judicial intervention in a FOIA lawsuit seeking the release of speech records of Preet Bharara, sits on panel that quietly allowed President Donald Trump’s sister to resign to avoid possible disciplinary actions over alleged ethics violations.

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"I am not a biased judge," is what U.S. District Court Judge John Koeltl proverbially claimed during a Court Conference 19 October 2017, to nobody's belief. Photo Illustration/Fair Use (President Richard Nixon photo by Associated Press ; John Koeltl by NYU)

To restore public confidence in the U.S. District Court for S.D.N.Y., Judge John Koeltl must resign

EDITORIAL : No amount of reasoning, or judicial complaints, has compelled S.D.N.Y. Judge John Koeltl to introspectively examine the causes or sources of his bias and misconduct. As a result, he must resign.

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Former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara was remarkable for making numerous speeches, only some of which were public addresses. An open records request seeking his speech records has been being undermined by the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney's Office he formerly headed, and a Federal judge, John Koeltl. Photo Archive/Progress Queens

To undermine open records request for Preet Bharara’s speech records, DOJ relying on U.S. Attorney’s Office, Federal judge to thwart FOIA Request

The U.S. Department of Justice and a Federal judge are engaging in misconduct to thwart a FOIA Request for Preet Bharara’s speech records.

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