Without FOIA, reporters would not have an administrative law judge’s concerns on the record, which in part helped spur the Senators to act.
The Post’s work had an impact. Acting DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg sent this memo to all employees:
“Recent articles in The Washington Post criticized our historical management of administrative diversion cases,” the message read. “Are there things we need to fix? You bet. We can — and should — learn from fair and thoughtful criticism. Such criticism can be painful, but we ignore it at our peril. . . .”
Without FOIA, the public would never see documents concluding communication breakdowns hampered the response to a tragic breach of security at a Navy base.
Without FOIA, the journalists would not have obtained the report showing a drop in enforcement had been noticed within the Justice Department.
WITHOUT FOIA
Without FOIA, the Minnesota Star-Tribune would not have been able to object to confidential treatment for thousands upon thousands of adverse incidents.
WITHOUT FOIA
Without FOIA, the emails showing discussions among members of the USDA-sanctioned Egg Board to undermine a competitor of the egg industry would not have come to light.
WITHOUT FOIA
Without FOIA, the public might not have known federal agencies are teaming up with local law enforcement to scan license plates of people attending gun shows.
WITHOUT FOIA
Without FOIA, the risks faced by young girls coming to the United States would not be known.
WITHOUT FOIA
Without FOIA, The AP would not have determined how serious this effort to kill Nazis right after World War II was. FOIA helped AP obtain records showing that the amounts of arsenic likely used should have been lethal.
WITHOUT FOIA
Without FOIA, the public would not understand the challenges the National Park Service faces enforcing safety rules in the parks.
WITHOUT FOIA
Without FOIA, the AP would not have found the shooter’s previous efforts to get help, his own descriptions of his panic response, and interactions with the Veterans Health Administration.