Tuesday, January 25, 2011

FOI Class Notes For Wed., 1-26-11

Announcement
Via Register Citizen

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION CLASS:
morning class being held as planned, evening class postponed
Tuesday, January 25, 2011

TORRINGTON -- The 11 a.m. section of the Freedom of Information Act class with Andy Thibault will be held as planned tomorrow morning, and will be available either in-person at the 59 Field St. newsroom cafe, or online at RegisterCitizen.com

The 8 p.m. section of the class has been postponed due to the impending snowstorm. The second part of the evening class will be held at 8 p.m. on Feb. 2, and the third part will be rescheduled for a later date.

  • Registration Link


  • EDITOR'S NOTE:
    If you can't make it in person, just tune in to RegisterCitizen.Com (we'll have a link up prominently), and there you'll find a video feed of the class and a "live chat" session that will enable you to answer questions or add comments posted during the class.


    What to do when lawyers lie about public records:

    File grievances. In practice, the state and federal disciplinary committees probably will not hold lying lawyers accountable -- even though this behavior is hardly consistent with the rules of professional conduct. If the disciplinary committees did hold lawyers accountable in such matters, their case loads initially would increase wildly.

    But, the filing of the complaints wake them all up a little bit.

    Also, demonstrate how the lying lawyers and the truth are complete strangers. In the following audio, then-Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission Chairman Andrew O'Keefe characterizes as "offensive" the diversion and delay by attorney Christine Chinni and former Region 10 School Superintendent Paula Schwartz when they were asked on Aug. 1, 2007 to produce write-in ballots from a stolen election.

    "With regard to this copy of a copy of an original," O'Keefe told Chinni, "That is offensive. I would never want to see a request denied on that basis."

    DOCKET

    Docket #FIC 2007-418, 421 & 458: Andy Thibault v. Paula Schwartz, Superintendent of Schools, Regional School District #10

  • Audio of this hearing, posted @ the Register Citizen


  • THE STUDENT WHO
    ACTUALLY WON THE ELECTION,
    AVERY DONINGER

    HGTV Honors ECSU Student /
    Free Speech Freedom Fighter For Community Service




    Avery Doninger was selected as the HGTV Community Crusader for the month of September. In addition to a $5,000 award and $5,000 donated to charity in her name, HGTV made this one-minute video.

  • HGTV Video


  • Avery Doninger is making a difference. After serving in AmeriCorps NCCC, Avery, who is 19, started college and immediately found a way to be of service in the community as a regular volunteer at the soup kitchen and a wintertime shelter.


  • HGTV Complete Announcement


  • Avery Doninger Clearing Rubble And Reporting From Haiti


  • Still Waiting To Hear From U.S. 2nd Circuit On Free Speech Case


  • Avery Doninger: Standing Up For All Of Us

  • --


    -- photo by Matt Derienzo, Reigster Citizen

    Jan Smolinski Returns To Class Wed., Jan. 26, 2011,
    11 a.m.,
    Following Evening Appearance Last Week


  • Chat, Documents, Audio From FOI Class Jan. 19, 2011 ...


  • One A Citizen Obtains Public Records, What's Next?

    Jan Smolinski learned via FOI how Waterbury Police did virtually nothing following a tip that her son was strangled and buried.

    The revelations led the FBI to dig several sites in recent years.

    Government and private investigators have identified a number of witnesses who could help solve the case. There is also a trail of dead bodies in this case which has not been explored sufficiently.

    Mrs. Smolinski recently followed up with the Connecticut Chief State's Attorney and the U.S. Attorney, formally requesting the empaneling of grand juries to compel witness testimony. She is still waiting to hear from Chief State's Attorney Kevin Kane and U.S. Attorney David Fine.

    The FBI investigation appears to be dormant at this time.

  • FBI launches new form to accept FOIA requests electronically


  • A private investigator, Todd Lovejoy, continues to work on the case while Mrs. Smolinski presses law enforcement and elected representatives to deliver justice.

    In class Wednesday, we'll talk about the status of the Smolinski case and strategies to obtain public records in other cases via state and federal FOI laws.



  • The Search


  • "There has been a lot that happened and we need to get the truth out ..."


  • Smolinski Missing Person / Homicide Case: FOI Decision, 4-11-07


  • UPCOMING GUESTS:

    Feb. 2, 11 a.m., South Windsor Police Chief Matthew Reed

    Feb. 2, 8 p.m., Tom Hennick of the Connecticut FOI Commission


  • STORY: Register Citizen offers free class on Freedom of Information Act in Connecticut


  • CT FOI Commission Website


  • twitter@cooljustice


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