Illinois (ECWd) –
There has been some recent inquiry by conspiracy theorists in Shelby County related to our FOIA lawsuits.
In an attempt to make their “jobs” easier, here is a partial list of FOIA and OMA lawsuits we have either won or prevailed with a settlement.
The fees paid were for attorney fees and filing costs, so, for instance, when you see that Carlinville settled (after the court ordered them to produce the public records we requested) for $90,000, that was for attorney fees for our attorneys to prosecute the FOIA case.
Algonquin Township Road District (FOIA) – had to obtain a court order to seize these settlement funds directly from the road district’s bank accounts since the township board willfully failed to tender payment
Atlanta Library District (FOIA)
Clark County Park District (OMA) – Appellate Court Unanimous Decision
Clark County Park District (FOIA)
There are others we didn’t write about, like the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers who ignored our request for records tied to Lithia Springs Marina, Edgar County (more than 1), Illinois State Police (more than 1), College of DuPage (OMA), Thornton Township, Wesley Township, Royal Lakes – Illinois, Clark-Edgar Rural Water District, Illinois Attorney General (more than 1), Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Auditor General, Illinois Health and Family Services, Edgar County Airport (more than 1), Ford Iroquois County Health Department, Iroquois County, and many more that we cannot recall at this time…
There are probably a dozen or so still working their way through the various county court systems.
9 Comments
Darrel Bruck
Posted at 09:01h, 23 AugustYou guys are the best!
Dave
Posted at 10:04h, 23 AugustDogs, Thank you for what you do!
Stan
Posted at 10:24h, 23 AugustI surely hope the elected officials of Shelby County read every one of these links to lawsuits lost, and taxpayers’ money wasted, due to arrogance, stubbornness, and having bad legal representation.
In my opinion, as soon as an attorney causes the loss of taxpayers’ money, he should be fired immediately.
AKA Shelby Co Theorist
Posted at 17:27h, 26 AugustSo, attorney’s pockets filled for FOIA lawsuits and taxes paid those fee’s. So, was there any accountability held? Any change made? Or was it just a lawsuit paid by taxes into attorney pockets?
It’s already known they need to respond to FOIA so if they aren’t, then a settlement for attorney fee’s is not Justice or accountability in my opinion. It fills pockets of attorneys but still restricted you, or others rights to receive the FOIA without the system being weoponized and cost a fortune to receive that document(s). What’s the purpose if no accountability or change happens?
That’s a weoponized FOIA system, not a citizen sending a FOIA. Maybe clue in the Chairman.
Sincerely, a local county theorist
John Kraft & Kirk Allen
Posted at 19:31h, 26 AugustYes, in most cases there were changes, accountability, criminal charges, indictments, and convictions. Pick one of them and search our site. No such thing as citizens “weaponizing FOIA” – all the public body has to do is comply with the law.
Yours truly
Posted at 09:14h, 27 AugustI would hope there is accountability being held and not just settlements.
teresting you say that. You seemed to ignore that there’s no such thing as weoponizing the FOIA comment Bobby said on local citizens when you commented on his post rather than correcting his statement.
John Kraft & Kirk Allen
Posted at 11:43h, 27 AugustWe already answered that statement in our response to your previous comment under a different name (but with same IP address).
Shelby County Citizen
Posted at 13:04h, 27 AugustI’m well aware IP address etc are tracked the same as i knew you would know who was commenting here without my name;)
Yes, you answered the top one and my response was I would hope so, as in, I would hope that’s true. (No worries, it wasn’t meaning I thought you were lying)
You seemed to disregard the bottom part of my comment, though.
John Kraft & Kirk Allen
Posted at 18:54h, 27 AugustThe only way to force compliance with FOIA is the mandated fee recovery when a lawsuit is won. We tried the AG route for years, but they were taking 2, 3, 4, and more years for an opinion and solution. That was unacceptable to us, so we went the filing lawsuit routes, which still take months, if not years – but at least we are part of the process and know what the next steps are instead of waiting on the AG and never knowing when or if it will be resolved. Without mandated fee recovery, people would never be able to financially support filing their own lawsuits for public records that should have been provided to them when they asked. Without mandated fee recovery local governments would simply deny responding to records requests knowing that people could not afford to file a lawsuit.