Commentary
The federal Freedom of Information Act has been contentious ever since its enactment over a half century ago, naturally pitting citizens seeking to hold their government to account against officials whose impulse, nefarious or not, is to control information. Decades later, it is by and large a case study in good intentions gone awry.
When FOIA became law in 1966, it was the culmination of an 11-year push in the House and nearly six years of Senate deliberation. It prevailed over the initial objections of the 27 federal agencies and departments whose officials testified during hearings over the bill, and despite reported opposition from President Lyndon B. Johnson….