Proving for Whom Public Officials Really Work

Boing-Boing reports an article from the St. Augustine Register detailing an elaborate journalistic survey proving a classic citizen's complaint.

To wit, journalists went to public offices as private citizens and asked for copies of easily-reachable public documents. They did this all over Florida. The report indicates 48% went away empty-handed - and many were stung for pursuing their rights.

Public officials lied to, harassed and even threatened volunteers who were using a law designed to give citizens the power to watch over their government. In six counties, volunteers were erroneously told that the documents they wanted didn't exist.

Many officials demanded to know who the volunteers represented and what they planned to do with the information - clear violations of the open records law, which ensures anonymity when desired.

Damn. This is (yet again) a shitty week for the American record on democracy. Fuck the Cleavers an those henrys & em'lys.