FOG is now hiring a Legal Director!
FOG seeks a full-time legal director to fulfill FOG’s mission to educate, advocate and litigate to advance open government throughout the state of New Mexico.
RESPONSIBILITIES: Develop a strategy for selecting and pursuing lawsuits that will advance FOG’s mission, which includes enforcing and protecting the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA), Open Meetings Act (OMA), and The First Amendment. Identify and litigate cases from initial filing through the appellate process, including amicus briefing, which further FOG’s law reform and enforcement.
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Searchlight New Mexico wins News Leaders Association First Amendment Award
FOG commends and congratulates Ed Williams of Searchlight New Mexico on this well-deserved recognition! FOG was involved last year in aiding Searchlight New Mexico’s investigation exposing the state’s Children’s Youth and Families Department’s use of Signal, a secure communication app, and has set chats to automatically delete. Once deleted, virtually no trace of a Signal Read More …
Rio Grande SUN sold; Paper a cornerstone of Northern New Mexico journalism
FOG was co-founded by Robert B. Trapp, Sr., owner and publisher of the Rio Grande SUN. The paper ‘s watchdog reporting has been crucial for holding accountable government to be open and responsive to the people of Northern New Mexico. Recently sold to new investors, the SUN was the subject of the documentary film, “The Read More …
Save the date for our Continuing Legal Education seminar June 8!
FOG is pleased to announce our 2022 Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminar will be held Wednesday, June 8 from 8am-5pm at the Albuquerque Journal auditorium. After concerns over COVID led us to postpone this event, we are excited to once again welcome attorneys and interested members of the public to join us and our expert Read More …
FOG remembers longtime board member Pat Rogers
All of us at The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government are deeply saddened by the news that Albuquerque attorney Pat Rogers has passed away. Pat was a valued member of the FOG board of directors for many years. In the early 1990s, he played a key role in passing favorable amendments to the Inspection Read More …
Lawsuit filed against the city of Rio Rancho for records denials
The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government (FOG) and The Santa Fe New Mexican filed a complaint against the city of Rio Rancho Monday in the New Mexico Thirteenth Judicial District Court. The complaint filed to enforce the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) alleges that the city of Rio Rancho has wrongfully Read More …
Sunshine Week highlights government transparency and its role in upholding democracy
The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government (FOG) is marking Sunshine Week with reverence and appreciation for the essential role freedom of information and freedom of the press serve in guaranteeing our American democracy. Sunshine Week is a national initiative spearheaded by the News Leaders Association to educate the public about the importance of open Read More …
Three IPRA complaints resolved in favor of openness
In a victory for transparency, three New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) Determinations by the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office today concluded that the records in question were wrongly withheld and should be made public. In the first complaint, FOG alongside Searchlight NM contended that the Children, Youth and Families Department was obligated Read More …
Help FOG over the finish line as we seek to hire an attorney!
The bad news – FOG’s hotline is ringing off the hook with serious complaints of repeated public records violations. The good news – FOG has nearly reached our goal to raise $300,000 in “seed” money to bring on a staff attorney. As of today, in cash and pledges from our generous supporters, FOG has secured Read More …
FOG urges the public hear the PED “listening” tour
Public Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus has embarked on a seven-stop “listening” tour in which he is meeting with school superintendents and charter leaders from around the state. Unfortunately, members of the news media and the public won’t have the opportunity to hear what Sec. Steinhaus and those key education leaders have to say because PED has decided Read More …