David Cuillier, incoming director of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Freedom of Information Project, will be speaking at the 2023 Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFPF) Sunshine Week Symposium. The online webinar will be on March 16 at 1 p.m.

Cuillier will be one of six panelists discussing the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and other transparency laws that have made a lasting impact on American political culture and the legal landscape. Participating panelists have written essays published during the week-long symposium focusing on how government transparency and FOIA have transformed society.

Cuillier’s essay, Strengthening FOIA: Time for Teeth,” was published on americanpropspertity.org on March 14. He writes that severe penalties are needed for agencies that violate the law and suggests an option to create a new independent agency with teeth.

“We know that humans operate more effectively with the threat of punishment – vinegar and the stick. Persuasion scholars know that authority wins over liking. That is the rationale for the social contract. The FOIA process is human-based, and record custodians wield discretion, regardless of the law,” writes Cuillier.

The 2023 Sunshine Week, from March 12-18, is the result of a partnership between the News Leaders Association and the Society of Professional Journalists. The aim of the forum is to promote open government and shine light into the dark recesses of government secrecy.

Posted: March 16, 2023
Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: David Cuillier, FOIA, Sunshine Week