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Communication

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Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

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2020

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Foi In Transition: A Comparative Analysis Of The Freedom Of Information Act Performance Between The Obama And Trump Administrations, Ben Wasike Apr 2020

Foi In Transition: A Comparative Analysis Of The Freedom Of Information Act Performance Between The Obama And Trump Administrations, Ben Wasike

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

FoIA is an important marker of transparency and the flow of government information in a democracy. Stakeholders such as the news media have been critical of how government policies affect access to that information. In this context, this study systematically analyzed the Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) performances between the Obama and the Trump administrations regarding the efficiency and disposition of requests, appeals processing and success, staff workload, processing fees, and the use of exemptions. Data indicate that the Trump administration underperformed in the processing of requests, the release of records, and it has accelerated the use of exemptions to …