David Cuillier, director of the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, spoke about the importance of government transparency Friday (Nov. 1) in Washington, D.C., at a conference recognizing the 50^th anniversary of the 1974 amendments to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Cuillier led a panel about the importance of FOIA in protecting democracy before a crowd of 70 at the George Washington University Law School.

“We know that FOIA makes a difference – it helps everyday people and holds our government accountable,” Cuillier said. “We know it has its problems, and we have a lot of work to do to fix it, but we ought to remember that it matters.”

The FOIA, which enables anyone to request records from federal executive agencies, was enacted in 1966 but had little teeth until it was updated in the 1974 amendments. President Gerald Ford vetoed the amendments but Congress overrode the veto.

The Brechner FOI Project helped sponsor the event, courtesy of endowments established by Joseph and Marion Brechner, who owned TV stations in Florida and elsewhere. Their son, Berl, graduated from George Washington University in journalism and supports the FOI Project’s research and education in government transparency.

The event was also co-sponsored by the American Society of Access Professionals and other organizations supporting access to government information.

Posted: November 4, 2024
Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Conference, democracy, FOIA, GWU, Transparency