Iowa FOI Council
@iowafoi.bsky.social
Iowa Freedom of Information Council is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit education, advocacy organization devoted to open government, government accountability.
Pottawattamie County attorney files petition to remove county supervisor for alleged intoxication during meeting
kcci.com/article/pott...
kcci.com/article/pott...
Pottawattamie County attorney files petition to remove board chair for alleged intoxication while on the job
The Pottawattamie County attorney filed a petition on Friday to remove Scott Belt from his position as chairperson for the county Board of Supervisors.
kcci.com
November 17, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Pottawattamie County attorney files petition to remove county supervisor for alleged intoxication during meeting
kcci.com/article/pott...
kcci.com/article/pott...
Taxpayers will have to pay $600,000 because Gov Kim Reynolds administration flaunted the public records law. That’s on top of a $135,000 settlement in 2023 for ignoring records requests.
www.iowapublicradio.org/state-govern...
www.iowapublicradio.org/state-govern...
Iowa to pay $600,000 to former public health spokesperson who claimed wrongful firing
The state of Iowa will pay $600,000 to settle a wrongful termination lawsuit brought by former Iowa Department of Public Health Communications Director Polly Carver-Kimm, who claimed she was forced to...
www.iowapublicradio.org
November 5, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Taxpayers will have to pay $600,000 because Gov Kim Reynolds administration flaunted the public records law. That’s on top of a $135,000 settlement in 2023 for ignoring records requests.
www.iowapublicradio.org/state-govern...
www.iowapublicradio.org/state-govern...
Des Moines Public Schools — still dealing with fallout from arrest of its sup’t — has placed another top official on paid leave but refuses to say why. Officials waited TWO WEEKS to make this news public. DMPS will not rebuild public trust with secrecy. www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/e...
Des Moines Public Schools places chief academic officer on paid leave
Des Moines Public Schools officials have released little information on why Robert Lundin was placed on paid leave.
www.desmoinesregister.com
October 22, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Des Moines Public Schools — still dealing with fallout from arrest of its sup’t — has placed another top official on paid leave but refuses to say why. Officials waited TWO WEEKS to make this news public. DMPS will not rebuild public trust with secrecy. www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/e...
A federal judge today issued a temporary order blocking the Creston, IA, school board from holding a hearing tomorrow to act to the superintendent’s recommendation to fire teacher Melisa Crook for her Facebook post about Charlie Kirk’s murder. — >
October 20, 2025 at 10:24 PM
A federal judge today issued a temporary order blocking the Creston, IA, school board from holding a hearing tomorrow to act to the superintendent’s recommendation to fire teacher Melisa Crook for her Facebook post about Charlie Kirk’s murder. — >
School districts need to hear from local residents on the finalists when hiring new superintendents and *not* automatically turn to secrecy.
open.substack.com/pub/todddorm...
open.substack.com/pub/todddorm...
Iowa school districts should stop playing the search firm game
Saga of Des Moines superintendent puts search firms under fresh scrutiny
open.substack.com
October 15, 2025 at 1:04 PM
School districts need to hear from local residents on the finalists when hiring new superintendents and *not* automatically turn to secrecy.
open.substack.com/pub/todddorm...
open.substack.com/pub/todddorm...
Des Moines School Board will NOT rebuild public trust, confidence by stonewalling Q’s about its own screening of Ian Roberts or refusing to release documents Roberts provided with his I-9 form. Secrecy will continue to eat away at public respect for DMPS.
www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/e...
www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/e...
Des Moines School Board not saying whether it knew Ian Roberts' resume was inaccurate
The district has sued the search firm that vetted Roberts. But School Board members won't say what they knew about false degree claim before the hire.
www.desmoinesregister.com
October 11, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Des Moines School Board will NOT rebuild public trust, confidence by stonewalling Q’s about its own screening of Ian Roberts or refusing to release documents Roberts provided with his I-9 form. Secrecy will continue to eat away at public respect for DMPS.
www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/e...
www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/e...
A search committee winnowing the field of candidates for president of Iowa State University has settled on its semifinalists. Instead of names, the public knows their ID number. ⤵️
www.thegazette.com/higher-educa...
www.thegazette.com/higher-educa...
ISU presidential search committee uses consensus to pick 8 semi-finalists
The search committee tasked with identifying finalists to lead Iowa State University as its next president met in closed session Monday and after several hours of discussion narrowed down a pool of 78...
www.thegazette.com
October 7, 2025 at 12:37 AM
A search committee winnowing the field of candidates for president of Iowa State University has settled on its semifinalists. Instead of names, the public knows their ID number. ⤵️
www.thegazette.com/higher-educa...
www.thegazette.com/higher-educa...
The Iowa FOI Council issued this statement about today’s special Des Moines school board meeting:
Questions have been raised, and rightly so, about Supt Ian Roberts’ legal status. Some question the diligence of the board’s background investigation.
The board owed it to parents, —- >
Questions have been raised, and rightly so, about Supt Ian Roberts’ legal status. Some question the diligence of the board’s background investigation.
The board owed it to parents, —- >
September 28, 2025 at 12:08 AM
The Iowa FOI Council issued this statement about today’s special Des Moines school board meeting:
Questions have been raised, and rightly so, about Supt Ian Roberts’ legal status. Some question the diligence of the board’s background investigation.
The board owed it to parents, —- >
Questions have been raised, and rightly so, about Supt Ian Roberts’ legal status. Some question the diligence of the board’s background investigation.
The board owed it to parents, —- >
A tip for journalists or merely the curious in Iowa: When a prominent state or local gov’t employee leaves their job in Iowa, file a public records request for any separation agreement or other documents detailing terms of the departure. There may be nothing, but there may be bug payments.
nothing.here
June 30, 2025 at 4:49 PM
A tip for journalists or merely the curious in Iowa: When a prominent state or local gov’t employee leaves their job in Iowa, file a public records request for any separation agreement or other documents detailing terms of the departure. There may be nothing, but there may be bug payments.
In a victory for transparency, Iowa Supreme Court tells government boards they need not fear defamation lawsuits if they provide live-streaming or on-demand access to video recordings of their meetings.
open.substack.com/pub/revans28...
open.substack.com/pub/revans28...
Iowa Supreme Court spikes an excuse for hiding public comment
Government bodies, including school boards, must prioritize the accessibility of their public meetings, the court said
open.substack.com
May 20, 2025 at 5:54 PM
In a victory for transparency, Iowa Supreme Court tells government boards they need not fear defamation lawsuits if they provide live-streaming or on-demand access to video recordings of their meetings.
open.substack.com/pub/revans28...
open.substack.com/pub/revans28...
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has a helpful new guide for journalists trying to cover the immigration issue:
www.rcfp.org/rcfp-new-imm...
www.rcfp.org/rcfp-new-imm...
Covering immigration? RCFP’s new legal guide can help.
RCFP’s new guide explains the legal issues journalists may encounter while reporting on immigration enforcement and deportation.
www.rcfp.org
April 28, 2025 at 1:06 PM
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has a helpful new guide for journalists trying to cover the immigration issue:
www.rcfp.org/rcfp-new-imm...
www.rcfp.org/rcfp-new-imm...
Capitol security video *should* be publicly available. No one in the building’s public spaces has an expectation of privacy. The video would provide an independent means to show how protesters behave, how displays get vandalized, and how Capitol Police respond. ⤵️
To assert the legislation on access to State Capitol security video or Capitol door card-access logs endangers lawmakers’ or gov’t officials’ safety is simply wrong. This would *not* be live access. This would be provided lster. www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/p...
Iowa bill limiting lawsuits against free speech, press rights heads to Gov. Kim Reynolds
After years of trying, Iowa lawmakers have finally sent a bill limiting lawsuits against free speech and press rights to Gov. Kim Reynolds.
www.desmoinesregister.com
April 25, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Capitol security video *should* be publicly available. No one in the building’s public spaces has an expectation of privacy. The video would provide an independent means to show how protesters behave, how displays get vandalized, and how Capitol Police respond. ⤵️
Reposted by Iowa FOI Council
BREAKING: FBI agents arrested Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan on Friday, accusing her of obstructing an immigration enforcement action last week. via @henry-redman.bsky.social wisconsinexaminer.com/briefs/fbi-a...
FBI arrests Milwaukee County judge • Wisconsin Examiner
Federal officials arrested Milwaukee County judge Hannah Dugan on Friday, accusing her of obstructing an immigration action.
wisconsinexaminer.com
April 25, 2025 at 3:56 PM
BREAKING: FBI agents arrested Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan on Friday, accusing her of obstructing an immigration enforcement action last week. via @henry-redman.bsky.social wisconsinexaminer.com/briefs/fbi-a...
To assert the legislation on access to State Capitol security video or Capitol door card-access logs endangers lawmakers’ or gov’t officials’ safety is simply wrong. This would *not* be live access. This would be provided lster. www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/p...
Iowa bill limiting lawsuits against free speech, press rights heads to Gov. Kim Reynolds
After years of trying, Iowa lawmakers have finally sent a bill limiting lawsuits against free speech and press rights to Gov. Kim Reynolds.
www.desmoinesregister.com
April 25, 2025 at 4:25 PM
To assert the legislation on access to State Capitol security video or Capitol door card-access logs endangers lawmakers’ or gov’t officials’ safety is simply wrong. This would *not* be live access. This would be provided lster. www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/p...
Reposted by Iowa FOI Council
"The FBI on Friday arrested a Milwaukee judge accused of helping a man evade immigration authorities, escalating a clash between the Trump administration and the judiciary over the Republican president’s sweeping immigration crackdown."
FBI director says a judge accused of helping someone evade immigration agents has been arrested
FBI Director Kash Patel says a Wisconsin county judge accused of helping a man avoid immigration enforcement has been arrested.
apnews.com
April 25, 2025 at 3:39 PM
"The FBI on Friday arrested a Milwaukee judge accused of helping a man evade immigration authorities, escalating a clash between the Trump administration and the judiciary over the Republican president’s sweeping immigration crackdown."
Reposted by Iowa FOI Council
Immigrant journalists face increasing legal risks amid Trump's immigration crackdown — with many expressing concerns that their reporting could jeopardize their standing in the US.
@rcfp.org's Flavie Fuentes discussed in @amcommmedia.bsky.social:
@rcfp.org's Flavie Fuentes discussed in @amcommmedia.bsky.social:
Amid Deportations, Immigrant Journalists Face Heightened Risks for Their Reporting
Journalists in the U.S. with temporary visas, green cards or DACA are fearful their reporting may compromise their status amid ongoing deportations.
americancommunitymedia.org
April 25, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Immigrant journalists face increasing legal risks amid Trump's immigration crackdown — with many expressing concerns that their reporting could jeopardize their standing in the US.
@rcfp.org's Flavie Fuentes discussed in @amcommmedia.bsky.social:
@rcfp.org's Flavie Fuentes discussed in @amcommmedia.bsky.social:
Two school boards meet in a joint closed meeting over their shared superintendent’s social media posts about Big Pharma.
www.kcrg.com/2025/04/10/t...
www.kcrg.com/2025/04/10/t...
Two Northeast Iowa school boards hold closed meeting after joint superintendent’s social media comments create uproar
On Wednesday, the Central Community School Board and Eastern Allamakee School Board had an unusual, closed-session meeting.
www.kcrg.com
April 10, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Two school boards meet in a joint closed meeting over their shared superintendent’s social media posts about Big Pharma.
www.kcrg.com/2025/04/10/t...
www.kcrg.com/2025/04/10/t...
A national law firm has gone to bat on behalf of a Decatur County woman who was threatened with legal action by the county attorney over her criticism of a county supervisor’s absence from in-person board meetings. Here’s the Institute for Justice’s press release: ij.org/press-releas...
Public Interest Law Firm Calls on Decatur County to Retract Threat to Sue Iowa Woman Over Her Criticism of County Leaders - Institute for Justice
ARLINGTON, Va.—Today, the Institute for Justice (IJ) sent a letter to county officials in Decatur County, Iowa, calling on them to abandon their attempt to […]
ij.org
April 7, 2025 at 3:56 PM
A national law firm has gone to bat on behalf of a Decatur County woman who was threatened with legal action by the county attorney over her criticism of a county supervisor’s absence from in-person board meetings. Here’s the Institute for Justice’s press release: ij.org/press-releas...
Reposted by Iowa FOI Council
Requesting emails can be extremely insightful, but also a bit of an exemptions minefield. MuckRock has created a new guide for you on getting emails in public records requests:
Using FOIA for emails
Requesting emails can be extremely insightful, but also a bit of an exemptions minefield.
www.muckrock.com
April 5, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Requesting emails can be extremely insightful, but also a bit of an exemptions minefield. MuckRock has created a new guide for you on getting emails in public records requests:
State public records laws give citizens, and journalists, access to documents that enable people to better understand what government is doing — or not doing. Here’s a fine example ⤵️
#foioklahoma By Emma Murphy, oklahomavoice.com: In all, it has cost over $69,000 to host 13 Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents meetings, according to an analysis of over 270 pages of the receipts from the meetings compiled by Oklahoma State University in response to an open records request.
Oklahoma A&M regent meetings cost nearly $70K with pricey meals and entertainment, records show • Oklahoma Voice
Over the past year, the board that governs one of Oklahoma’s flagship public universities has racked up tens of thousands of dollars in bills.
oklahomavoice.com
April 5, 2025 at 3:29 PM
State public records laws give citizens, and journalists, access to documents that enable people to better understand what government is doing — or not doing. Here’s a fine example ⤵️
Reposted by Iowa FOI Council
The @rcfp.org has published a new tipsheet to help journalists access public records while reporting on immigration and deportation.
Available in both English and Spanish:
Available in both English and Spanish:
RCFP tipsheet helps journalists access immigration, deportation records
RCFP soon plans to publish a more extensive legal guide focused on helping journalists cover immigration and deportation.
www.rcfp.org
March 24, 2025 at 5:05 PM
The @rcfp.org has published a new tipsheet to help journalists access public records while reporting on immigration and deportation.
Available in both English and Spanish:
Available in both English and Spanish:
The ability of citizens to
monitor their police officers’ actions took an important step forward with today’s unanimous Iowa Supreme Court decision that officers’ use-of-force reports must be made public. www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/c...
monitor their police officers’ actions took an important step forward with today’s unanimous Iowa Supreme Court decision that officers’ use-of-force reports must be made public. www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/c...
Des Moines must turn over officers' 2020 reports on use of force, Iowa Supreme Court rules
Activist Harvey Harrison had requested reports officers must fill out after using force. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled Friday they are public records.
www.desmoinesregister.com
March 14, 2025 at 9:38 PM
The ability of citizens to
monitor their police officers’ actions took an important step forward with today’s unanimous Iowa Supreme Court decision that officers’ use-of-force reports must be made public. www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/c...
monitor their police officers’ actions took an important step forward with today’s unanimous Iowa Supreme Court decision that officers’ use-of-force reports must be made public. www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/c...
Johnston School District refuses to say what the now-former employee’s job was, when he left that job & whether it was a resignation, firing or resignation in lieu of termination, but those details ARE public & the school is ignoring its legal duty. www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/c...
Former Johnston school employee sued for alleged sexual abuse of student
The parents allege a Johnston Community School District employee repeatedly touched their child inappropriately in restrooms at Wallace Elementary.
www.desmoinesregister.com
March 8, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Johnston School District refuses to say what the now-former employee’s job was, when he left that job & whether it was a resignation, firing or resignation in lieu of termination, but those details ARE public & the school is ignoring its legal duty. www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/c...
We went to the Iowa Supreme Court this week to ask it to decide the constitutionality of a 2024 law a judge cited in his decision to close the courtroom for testimony about an Iowa prosecutor’s decision to add the Jefferson County sheriff to a list of law officers whose candor has been questioned.
February 28, 2025 at 6:26 AM
We went to the Iowa Supreme Court this week to ask it to decide the constitutionality of a 2024 law a judge cited in his decision to close the courtroom for testimony about an Iowa prosecutor’s decision to add the Jefferson County sheriff to a list of law officers whose candor has been questioned.
There’s a vacancy on the county board of supervisors in Linn County. Because of an Iowa Supreme Court decision this month, the applications of all people applying for appointment to fill the vacancy *must* be made public.
www.thegazette.com/local-govern...
www.thegazette.com/local-govern...
Linn County supervisor vacancy will be filled by appointment
A committee of three Linn County elected officials decided Friday it will pursue an appointment to fill the seat that will be vacated by Supervisor Ben Rogers’ resignation.
www.thegazette.com
February 22, 2025 at 2:48 AM
There’s a vacancy on the county board of supervisors in Linn County. Because of an Iowa Supreme Court decision this month, the applications of all people applying for appointment to fill the vacancy *must* be made public.
www.thegazette.com/local-govern...
www.thegazette.com/local-govern...