FOIA process needn't be adversarial
Once again, the FOI Advisory Council has had to remind FOIA requesters and government officials alike to play nice.
In its June 9, 2009, opinion (AO-06-09), the council congratulated a citizen and a rep from the AG's office for their "polite and concise" communications with each other. But the council also observed:
The council also had to admonish the parties to stop inundating the office with additional information after requesting a formal opinion from the office.
Too often we see requesters who suspect a government plot to cheat or trick them out of records. Too often we see government workers who view FOIA requesters as stalkers. Not saying that there aren't some of each on both sides. But the bitter comments that flare up over even the most minor disputes or deviations serve no good purpose other than, as the FOIA Council pointed out, "to foster and exacerbate an adversarial situation."
Also, as FOIA Council director Maria Everett reminds people during her training sessions: you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
In its June 9, 2009, opinion (AO-06-09), the council congratulated a citizen and a rep from the AG's office for their "polite and concise" communications with each other. But the council also observed:
However, some of the messages were riddled with unnecessary editorial comments that could only serve to foster and [ex]acerbate an adversarial situation. FOIA transactions are not meant to be adversarial, and can only be affected negatively by such commentary.
The council also had to admonish the parties to stop inundating the office with additional information after requesting a formal opinion from the office.
such unsolicited additional information delays the drafting of the requested opinion and often raises the question of whether the new material presents a new request. For the future, when a formal opinion is requested, we ask that the requester not send us additional information unless we specifically ask for it.
Too often we see requesters who suspect a government plot to cheat or trick them out of records. Too often we see government workers who view FOIA requesters as stalkers. Not saying that there aren't some of each on both sides. But the bitter comments that flare up over even the most minor disputes or deviations serve no good purpose other than, as the FOIA Council pointed out, "to foster and exacerbate an adversarial situation."
Also, as FOIA Council director Maria Everett reminds people during her training sessions: you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
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