Brechner Freedom of Information Project

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is quoted in “Lombardi Puts A Gag on City Employees” published in the Lockport (New York) Union-Sun & Journal on April 25. The story focuses on Lockport mayor John Lombardi III’s written directive to all city employees to refrain from contact…

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is quoted in “Out-of-State Public Records Experts Weigh in on a Louisiana Bill that is Drawing Lots of Criticism” published on fox8live.com on April 19. The story focuses on a bill that would exempt Louisiana’s public records law of “any records…

Most police departments in the United States employ constitutionally questionable policies prohibiting their officers from expressing concerns publicly on social media about misconduct, according to a new study by Frank D. LoMonte, former director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida, and UF Levin College…

Photograph archives maintained by newspapers are disappearing as legacy media go out of business, eradicating valuable historical artifacts for communities throughout the United States, according to a new study by Frank D. LoMonte, former director of the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida College…

Journalists, average Americans, and others seeking government records in the public interest are more likely to be denied information than for-profit requesters, according to a new study titled “Tale of two requesters: How public records law experiences differ by requester types,” co-authored by David Cuillier, director of the Joseph L.…

The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC)  and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation today announced the establishment of the Knight Sunshine Fund at the University of Florida, an endowment of $575,000 to help expand the reach and impact of Sunshine Week and increase public…

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is quoted in “South Dakota Lags in Public-Records Transparency Laws, Expert Says” published on South Dakota’s soiuxlandproud.com on March 17. According to Cuillier, South Dakota’s state laws providing public access to state and local government records are among the weakest in…

The Miami Herald is the winner of the 2024 Brechner Freedom of Information Award for “Shakedown City,” an investigation into government corruption within the city of Miami that spawned a series of investigations by the FBI, Internal Revenue Service, Securities and Exchange Commission and state ethics commission. The award is…

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is quoted in “Despite Marsy’s Law Ruling, TPD Won’t Release Information on Officer Involved in Shooting” published in the Tallahassee Democrat on March 15. The article focuses on Marsy’s Law, a constitutional amendment approved by Florida voters in 2018 that grants…

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is the author of “Growing Secrecy Limits Government Accountability” published on theconversation.com on March 11. In the article, Cuillier focuses on how government agencies are increasingly hiding their work from the public and how this behavior can have significant ramifications. Cuillier…

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is quoted in “Sunny State Turned Cloudy: A Boca Raton Lawsuit Illustrates ‘Erosion’ of Florida’s Public Records Law” published in the South Florida Sun Sentinel on March 10. The article focuses on Florida’s Sunshine Law requiring government meetings and documents to…

David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project, is quoted in “Patchwork of ‘Broken’ Systems for Resolving Open Records Disputes Exists Across U.S. States” published on The Huntsville (Alabama) Item’s website on March 7. The article focuses on nurse Dana Holladay-Hollified’s quest to find out the salaries of hospital…