Americans have a right to know that their government is working in their best interest. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests are one of the most important tools the public has to learn about the government’s actions.
Enacted in 1966 and strengthened through post-Watergate scandal reforms, FOIA makes all federal agency records — with limited exceptions defined by law — available to the public.
As long as a FOIA request reasonably describes what records the person wants, anyone can use this law to ask for information. All you have to do is submit a written request to a federal agency.
If requested records are improperly withheld, FOIA gives the public a legal pathway to demand accountability.
The FOIA request process is an important part of ensuring that Americans have full visibility into how the government operates, and how it serves the people.
At Campaign Legal Center (CLC), we use FOIA requests to get essential information that helps us protect every American’s right to an accountable and transparent government.
Most recently, we requested records about President Donald Trump’s so-called U.S. DOGE Service to get answers about the influence and reach this entity has in the executive branch.
Federal agencies make decisions all the time that impact the lives of everyday Americans. Information about how it makes those decisions — and who influences them — must be available to the public if we want to keep the government working for the people, by the people.
Demanding information on DOGE’s access to the executive branch is just one of the steps CLC has taken to hold Elon Musk accountable.
CLC has also used records requests to ensure that Americans are kept in the loop on federal policy decisions. For example, in 2020, the public demanded more information on the U.S. Census Bureau’s decision to add a citizenship question to the upcoming census.
In response, CLC demanded that the Bureau and Department of Justice release the internal communications about that decision and any information they relied upon in making their decision.
These FOIA requests were part of a broader legal effort to stop the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 census, which would have the effect of depressing census response rates in communities of color.
The Supreme Court eventually ruled that the decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census violated federal law.
Open and transparent government is a critical pillar of our democracy, and FOIA is an essential tool in achieving these goals. The public has a legal right to information on what the executive branch is doing.
At CLC, we’re working on behalf of the American people to hold our government accountable. When the executive branch abuses its authority, transparency laws like FOIA are essential for uncovering wrongdoing and determining how to intervene on behalf of the public.