Chicago Paid $670,000 in 2016 Over Lawsuits Alleging Open Records Violations
ICPR Executive Director Sarah Brune was quoted in this article
via the Chicago Tribune
“The city of Chicago paid out about $670,000 last year to plaintiffs in lawsuits alleging that officials violated open records law — nearly five times what the city paid in the previous eight years combined.
Experts and attorneys said the mounting payouts in Freedom of Information Act cases raise concerns about Mayor Rahm Emanuel‘s pledge to run “the most open, accountable and transparent government that the city of Chicago has ever seen.” They said the increase may be attributable to a broader awareness of the public’s right to records spurred by high-profile cases such as the Laquan McDonald shooting.
The Emanuel administration, which still faces 54 lawsuits alleging open records violations, says it has added resources to provide public information more efficiently.”
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