This is a lightning talk I gave at the 2017 NICAR conference in Jacksonville, FL (March 3, 2017) in which I shared some of my favorite strategies for overcoming roadblocks in FOIA requests.

1. Cezary Podkul
@Cezary
Stuff I've said to
FOIA officers to
get them to give
me ... well, stuff
#NICAR17 #FOIAFRIDAY

2. @Cezary#NICAR17

3. @Cezary#NICAR17

4. IF YOU DON’T
ASK THE
QUESTION
THE ANSWER’S
ALWAYS ‘NO’
@Cezary#NICAR17

5. GET SASSY!
@Cezary#NICAR17

6. @Cezary#NICAR17

7. @Cezary#NICAR17

8. @Cezary#NICAR17

9. GET LAZY!
@Cezary#NICAR17

10. @Cezary#NICAR17

11. @Cezary#NICAR17

12. @Cezary#NICAR17

13. @Cezary#NICAR17

14. @Cezary#NICAR17

15. @Cezary#NICAR17

16. GET FUSSY!
@Cezary#NICAR17

17. @Cezary#NICAR17

18. @Cezary#NICAR17

19. @Cezary#NICAR17

20. @Cezary#NICAR17

21. @Cezary#NICAR17
TELL ME WHAT
THIS IS AND
WHY I CAN’T
HAVE IT

22. @Cezary#NICAR17
Cezry Podkul C89289
Priviledge Log
Item
Bates Stamp Public
Finance C89289 #
Date Sender or Author Rec(s) & CC(s) Subject Privilege Claimed
1 016 - 017 9/11/2013 David Moore Kavin Mistry, Robert Romano, Susan Fischer Opposition to LB Motion to
Reduce and Allow
N.J.S.A 47:1A-1.1 Inter-agency or intra-agency
advisory, consultative or deliberative material;
N.J.S.A 47:1A-1.1; Any record within the
attorney-client privilege
2 018 - 019 9/11/2013 David Moore Kavin Mistry, Robert Romano, Susan Fischer Opposition to LB Motion to
Reduce and Allow
N.J.S.A 47:1A-1.1 Inter-agency or intra-agency
advisory, consultative or deliberative material;
N.J.S.A 47:1A-1.1; Any record within the
attorney-client privilege; Duplicate of item 1
3 20 9/13/2013 Charles Ellingwood Steven Petrecca, Kym Arnone, William Bloom, John Gerbino,
Michael Zarrella
TSFC Series 2007 – 1 Capital
Appreciation Bonds –
Proposed Repurchase/
Remarketing
N.J.S.A 47:1A-1.1 Inter-agency or intra-agency
advisory, consultative or deliberative material;
4 21 1/16/2014 M. Jeremy Ostow Jennifer Grew, Robert Romano, Steven Petrecca, James Petrino,
David Moore, Anthony Longo, Susan Fischer, Kavin Mistry,
Matthew Karrenberg, Teresa Zaleski, Kym Arnone, William
Bloom, Nicholas Digeronimo, Rashida Mason, John Gerbino,
Charles Ellinwood, Michael Zarella, Peter Coleman, Timothy
Carson, Jim Diffley, Pete Nissen, Josh Nyikita, Kim Whelan, Albert
Simons, Damon Pace
Tobacco Settlement
Financing Corporation -
Pledge Agreement
N.J.S.A 47:1A-1.1 Inter-agency or intra-agency
advisory, consultative or deliberative material;
N.J.S.A 47:1A-1.1; Any record within the
attorney-client privilege

23. GET PHYSICAL!
@Cezary#NICAR17

24. @Cezary#NICAR17

25. @Cezary#NICAR17

26. @Cezary#NICAR17

27. @Cezary#NICAR17

28. GETA REFUND!
@Cezary#NICAR17

29. @Cezary#NICAR17

30. IF YOU DON’T
ASK THE
QUESTION
THE ANSWER’S
ALWAYS ‘NO’
@Cezary#NICAR17