Editorial: Flouting Virginia’s open government law breaks the public trust

Editorial: Flouting Virginia’s open government law breaks the public trust

There are two ways in which the Virginia Freedom of Information Act helps shape government in the commonwealth. The first is the letter of the law, which entails the specifics and procedures required of public bodies when they hold meetings and determine what records should be available for citizen review. The second is the spirit of the law, which is set forth clearly in the act’s preamble: “The affairs of government are not intended to be cond…

Trump and the Public Trust

Under the Biden administration, a growing number of agency actions appear to have been influenced by political considerations alongside their legal basis.  Although the rule of law permits executive agencies to interpret and enforce their e...