Brechner News

Posted: November 13, 2019

Rachael Jones, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information legal fellow and UF law student Virginia Hamrick, are the authors of “Reporting on NDAs and #MeToo: How the Press May Obtain Standing to Challenge NDAs” published in the American Bar Association’s Communications Lawyer, Fall 2019. The article focuses on possible legal workarounds when journalists’ news sources are restrained by overly broad nondisclosure agreements (NDAs). According to the authors, “While NDAs are commonly (and harmlessly) used across the business world to safeguard competitively advantageous information, significant legal and public policy questions arise when the…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Rachael Jones, Virginia Hamrick

Posted: November 8, 2019

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, and Jasmine McNealy, CJC Telecommunication associate professor, are quoted in “First, Do No Harm – But How?” published in Phi Delta Kappan on Nov. 6. The article focuses on requests to remove previously published stories so they cannot be found in an online search. Some newsrooms have been left with a conundrum to find a way to preserve stories and protect innocent people from harm. “There is only a set of unsatisfying and imperfect alternatives,” said LoMonte. “Such people are the most deserving…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte, Jasmine McNealy

Posted: November 1, 2019

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, and Brechner Journalism Fellow Miranda Spivack, will speak at a Freedom of Information Workshop on Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. at the UF Levin College of Law Chesterfield Smith Memorial Classroom. The public workshop, co-sponsored by the Brechner Center, the Gainesville Sun and the City of Gainesville, will provide information to city residents on how to request public records from local government. Gainesville Sun Opinion Editor Nathan Crabbe will serve as moderator, and Marie Kessler, deputy clerk for the Gainesville City Clerk’s Office,…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte, Miranda Spivack

Posted: October 29, 2019

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is quoted in “A Northern Kentucky Family Court Judge Has Her Own Divorce Records Sealed in Another County” published in The Cincinnati Enquirer on Oct. 28. The article focuses on Kenton County Family Court Judge Dawn Gentry who did not want the details of her divorce to be public. The Enquirer was able to get a judge to unseal the records. According to LoMonte, records like this can help the public get to know the person their tax dollars fund. “It’s admirable that…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte

Posted: October 16, 2019

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is quoted in “Expert Calls JSO Redactions on Duval School Theft Case ‘Unnecessarily Heavy’” published in the Florida Times Union on Oct. 15. The article focuses on a heavily redacted arrest report via the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office about theft charges against a Duval County Public Schools records clerk. “The redactions by the sheriff’s office are unnecessarily heavy,” said LoMonte. “The open records law enables the police to withhold information about criminal investigations if disclosure would actually interfere with solving the case, but that’s…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte

Posted: October 15, 2019

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is the author of “Government Agencies Can’t Stop Employees from Talking to the Press. Here’s Why” published on Poynter.org on Oct. 15. In the article, LoMonte focuses on government employees being prohibited from sharing their candid observations to the media without permission. “Although the practice of gagging public employees from giving unapproved interviews is pervasive across all levels of government, decades’ worth of First Amendment caselaw demonstrates that blanket restrictions on speaking to the media are legally unenforceable,” said LoMonte. LoMonte references the…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte

Posted: October 15, 2019

Imani Jackson, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information legal fellow, is the author of “Mother Nature Can’t Equalize All: Federal Prison Transparency and Environmental Exigencies”  published in the Brechner Report on Oct. 8. Jackson focuses on the Brechner Center’s investigation of how the federal Bureau of Prisons chose not to evacuate the Miami federal prisons in 2017 when the facilities were slated to bear the brunt of Hurricane Irma. “If the federal government acts transparently during disaster decision-making, then space to improve prison conditions for both inmates and correctional officers should open,”…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Imani Jackson

Posted: October 3, 2019

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is quoted in “Why You Won’t Hear About Most Complaints Made Against Lansing Officer” published in the Lansing (Michigan) State Journal on Oct. 2. The article features a report about a committee tasked with reviewing police discipline cases in private meetings. Advocates are challenging the process indicating that it lacks accountability and oversight. “We give police authority to take people’s freedom and use deadly force,” said LoMonte. “The way that police use their authority is a matter of the highest degree of public…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte

Posted: September 18, 2019

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is quoted in “OUC Workers Signed Non-Disclosure Pacts with Universal Orlando; Experts Question Why” published in the Orlando Sentinel on Sept. 18. The article addresses the issue of five Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) employees that were forced to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) stating they would not divulge information about their work on Universal Orlando’s planned Epic Universe theme park. According to LoMonte, “The state’s Sunshine Law allows public bodies to keep records confidential if they discuss trade secrets such as new technology being…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte

Posted: September 11, 2019

Diane McFarlin, dean of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC), and Frank LoMonte, UFCJC Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, are the co-authors of “We Must Save Student Newsrooms” published in Inside Higher Ed on Sept. 11. McFarlin and LoMonte report on the current state of newspapers and their decline in both circulation and employees. They focus on how colleges and universities cannot solve what afflicts the news industry. They must be involved in seeking solutions and be more than a spectator. “Our institutions profess to be in the business of producing civically engaged young…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Diane McFarlin, Frank LoMonte

Posted: September 4, 2019

The Brechner Center for Freedom of Information today announced the debut of the Journal of Civic Information, the first open-access, interdisciplinary journal that publishes peer-reviewed research related to the field of public information accessibility. The journal, which will include articles from both scholars and practitioners, will publish online quarterly. Topics will include issues regarding access to public records and meetings, court transparency, access to public employees and elected officials, open data and technology, and other related matters, with an emphasis on issues relevant to the state-and-local levels of government. “Our goal at the Brechner Center is to produce ‘practical scholarship’ that addresses…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte, Journal of Civic Information

Posted: August 30, 2019

Frank LoMonte, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Brechner Center for Freedom of Information director, is quoted in “MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell Admits ‘Error in Judgment’ in Report on Trump Finances After President’s Legal Threat” posted on The Wrap on Aug. 28. The story features a possible defamation lawsuit against MSNBC and host Lawrence O’Donnell for his comments alleging that President Turmp has loans cosigned by Russian oligarchs. According to LoMonte, “The key to a defamation case is proof of a factually false statement, so if a defamation claim were to go to court, the burden would be on…

Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, Frank LoMonte