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1 month ago | 
muckrock.com | Aaron Mackey |Michael Morisy |Kelly Kauffman
The public’s right to access government information is constantly under siege across the United States, from both sides of the political aisle.
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Dec 17, 2024 | 
muckrock.com | Kelly Kauffman
Hannah Beckler, senior editor of investigations for Business Insider, was accustomed to getting questions from colleagues about how to get information about government agencies. Her go-to response was “FOIA and find out.” She said it so much that in 2022 her husband gave her a custom-made sweatshirt with the phrase for Christmas. “I wore it in the newsroom and a colleague took a picture and to Twitter, and it unexpectedly resonated,” Beckler said.
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Nov 5, 2024 | 
muckrock.com | Kelly Kauffman |Dillon Bergin
While the public casts their votes for the next president, federal agencies have been busy at work preparing for the transition. And in the process, they’re creating a lot of documents that you can request. One of the most important pieces of the presidential transition process is a program run by the General Services Administration (GSA).
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Oct 2, 2024 | 
muckrock.com | Kelly Kauffman
Our most recent FOIA Friday series unlocked new ways to obtain documents and data from the statehouse, local officials and more. MuckRock data reporter Dillon Bergin walked through how to request data and documents such as calendars, contracts, lobbying records and travel logs. Requesting calendars of your local officials can offer a window into their work, priorities and even close allies. Detailed calendars can show who the official is meeting, and sometimes what is discussed.
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Sep 17, 2024 | 
muckrock.com | Kelly Kauffman
Public records are a cornerstone of government transparency and accountability. The Freedom of Information Act enshrines the public’s right to access government records. MuckRock helps journalists, researchers and other civic-minded people file requests and ensure this transparency. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or brand new to the world of public records, MuckRock offers a guide on how to access public records and how to bring these government documents to the public.
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Sep 13, 2024 | 
muckrock.com | Dillon Bergin |Kelly Kauffman
Reporters for MuckRock and the Cicero Independiente received the Victor K. McElheny Award at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for their “Air We Breathe” series this weekend. The Cicero Independiente team also spoke in a panel discussion on the future of local and regional journalism, and discussed their reporting process. The investigative series was a first-of-its-kind analysis of Cicero’s air quality and involved installing air quality monitored by the Cicero Independiente and MuckRock.
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Sep 4, 2024 | 
muckrock.com | Kelly Kauffman
August’s FOIA Friday session focused on documents that are especially useful during the election season: personal financial disclosures, business interests and finances. MuckRock’s data reporter Dillon Bergin walked us through these documents with guest speaker Elizabeth Clemons from Sunlight Search. Personal financial disclosures can reveal a candidate’s personal ties to donors, income streams and legal history.
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Aug 21, 2024 | 
muckrock.com | Chris Amico |Kelly Kauffman
OpenNews’ SRCCON, held in Milwaukee from August 15-16, 2024, is a peer-led conference for journalists to talk about technical and cultural changes that can transform our work. This year, MuckRock Senior Developer Chris Amico led a hands-on session on self-hosted, interactive maps. Now he shares his techniques in For the Record, so you can create your own. Try this at homeFollow the directions in this GitHub repository to get started.
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Aug 7, 2024 | 
muckrock.com | Kelly Kauffman
With less than 100 days left until Election Day, election reporting is kicking into high gear, and that means giving the public more information about the candidates running for office. Public records can help bring a candidate’s history into focus, helping audiences understand their professional, personal and political backgrounds - particularly their finances. Personal financial disclosures can reveal a lot about a candidate, including personal ties to donors, income streams and legal history.
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Aug 6, 2024 | 
muckrock.com | Kelly Kauffman
This month, MuckRock hosted its monthly FOIA Friday conversation on the challenges of requesting public records when businesses and nonprofits are involved. data reporter Dillon Bergin was joined by veteran reporter Miranda Spivack, who specializes in stories about government accountability and secrecy, urban development and immigration.
