The Freedom of Information Act: The truth is out there

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) ranks among the best-known laws of the land. We’re all familiar with FOIA-enabled exposés in the news media, such as the recent revelation that HUD Secretary Ben Carson and his wife personally selected a $31,000 furniture set for his office, contradicting Carson’s claims he was not involved in the controversial purchase.

But many Americans fail to realize that FOIA is for everyone. You don’t have to be a journalist to use it. In fact, the overwhelming majority of FOIA requests today don’t come from the news media.