firstamendment

A&A:Does the CPRA allow access to notes from interviews with job candidates?

Q: I was recently not selected for a position at my place of employment, a California State University. Two individuals were hired that appear to be less qualified than me. I sent a request for interview notes because the chair of the interview panel expressly told me that only the responses given in the interview were used to determine who to offer the position to. My request for interview notes was denied. Here is the

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A&A: State Agency I worked for is denying my records’ request, but documents do exist!

Q: I used to work for the State of California. I lost my job and I am trying to get information on a program administered by my employer. This program is funded by the Federal government. I am being met with resistance because the Public Request officer is simply forwarding my request to my former supv/mgr, and she claims that the documents/information I am requesting is not available. I know that the information I am requesting

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FAC files suit for logs showing who visited LA’s County Assessor in jail

PS–The First Amendment Coalition (FAC) has filed a Public Records suit to find out who has visited LA county jail inmate John Noguez, the embattled LA County Assessor who faces twenty-four felony counts for bribery, perjury and related public corruption charges. Noguez was arrested in October, along with an aide and a political contributor, following a political corruption probe into allegations that the Assessor’s Office lowered property tax bills in exchange for campaign contributions. FAC’s

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LAPD’s use of “Stingray” cell-phone monitoring tool revealed by FAC public records request

BY PETER SCHEER–The records published below–released to the First Amendment Coalition by the Los Angeles Police Department–confirm LAPD’s use, in criminal investigations, of a controversial technology for tracking cell phones. Devices using this technology, “International Mobile Subscriber Identity” locators, operate by mimicking a cellphone tower, causing cell phones that are within range to connect to the device. Their use raises privacy and free speech concerns because they obtain information, not only about a specific phone

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Consumers blindsided by secret settlements in hi-tech patent lawsuits

By Peter Scheer—Apple recently announced that it had reached a global settlement of its patent disputes with HTC, a producer of smartphones using Android, the Google-owned operating system for phones and tablets that compete head-on with Apple’s phones and tablets. Although this settlement, covering some 50 lawsuits, will have a direct impact–almost certainly painful–on millions of American consumers, and many more around the world, you can’t find out the settlement’s terms. Why not? Because, incredibly,

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