By Paul Bass The State Supreme Court may have had no choice but to hand cops new powers to hide information from the public. But the state legislature can take action to rein in those powers. So said New Haven state Sen. Martin Looney in the wake of a unanimous Supreme Court ruling to withhold […]
By J. CHARLES MOKRISKI That Connecticut’s widely heralded Freedom of Information Act is under assault is troubling, but not new. Since the Newtown tragedy in December 2012, we’ve seen relentless efforts to cut back on public access to police reports and investigatory activities, death certificates and other records that previously were accessible, with limited exception. […]
A strong Freedom of Information Act and watchdog journalism continue to be Connecticut’s best weapons against public corruption, and former Gov. John Rowland’s latest shenanigans offer a lesson on why honest politicians should be calling for the latter to be strengthened, not eroded. After his stay in prison on felony corruption charges, Rowland is accused […]
As cynical journalists often frustrated by stonewalling and secretive government officials, we were expecting the worst when we decided to send a reporter to every police department and state police troop in Connecticut (103 of them) this spring to test compliance with the Freedom of Information Act. And the results were pretty bad in a […]
Each year CFOG sponsors an essay contest each year to encourage thought and debate among students on public and freedom of information issues and to increase student knowledge of the value of open government in a democratic society. First prize receives $1,000, second place gets $500 and third place receives $300. Honorable mentions are awarded […]
In the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy, it’s understandable that government officials may look for quick fixes, especially those that might relieve some of the victims’ anguish. But emotion-charged quick fixes and knee-jerk responses often bring devastating unintended consequences. The 29th Amendment to the Connecticut…Continue Reading
By JAMES H. SMITH | OP-ED The Hartford Courant5:45 p.m. EDT, September 27, 2013 Since 1975 when Connecticut adopted its Freedom of Information law and was hailed as the leader in the nation for open government, state and local officials have been coming up with ways to water it down and, frankly, just going about […]
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that he has selected Owen P. Eagan of West Hartford to serve as chairman of the Freedom of Information Commission (FOIC), the state body responsible for administering and enforcing the provisions of the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act, which ensures citizen access to the records and […]