Jason Leopold: The Journalist Using FOIA to Uncover Government Secrets

The Power of FOIA

• 💡 Jason Leopold, a senior reporter for Bloomberg News, utilizes the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) as his primary tool to access government information.
• 🎯 His motivation stems from a desire to uncover secrets and a love for the battle against government secrecy.
• 🔑 Leopold found FOIA particularly powerful after 9/11, when information became increasingly classified, making traditional source-based reporting difficult.

Unearthing Explosive Documents

• 🚀 Leopold is known for forcing the release of significant documents, including details about Hillary Clinton's email server and CIA torture procedures.
• 🔍 He also uncovered documents related to Donald Trump's handling of classified documents after leaving the White House.
• FBI labeled Leopold an "FOIA terrorist," a moniker he embraces.

Equal Opportunity "Assassin"

• 🎯 Leopold identifies as a nonpartisan, equal opportunity assassin, pursuing information regardless of political affiliation.
• 📧 He filed the FOIA request that led to the release of Hillary Clinton's emails, initially seeking insight into her performance as Secretary of State, not knowing about the private server.
• 🏛️ He also obtained documents revealing Donald Trump's alleged attempt to threaten investors in his bankrupt casino business, mimicking a Mafia thug.

Key FOIA Triumphs

• ✈️ Leopold successfully obtained internal CIA deliberations justifying the killing of US citizen Anwar al-Awlaki in a drone strike, a process that took years.
• 🔒 He also secured documents detailing security procedures at Guantanamo Bay, overcoming arguments that their release would endanger the facility.
• 📄 In the Mueller investigation, he successfully pushed to unredact portions of the report, revealing that Donald Trump Jr. was considered for charges related to communications with WikiLeaks.

The Broader Impact of FOIA Work

• 🌐 Leopold emphasizes that FOIA work is crucial for documenting history and providing the public with raw information beyond official narratives.
• 🏛️ He believes this transparency is vital for American democracy, allowing citizens to look back on events with factual evidence.
• 🚫 Despite the sensitive nature of his work, Leopold reports no direct threats, only bureaucratic delays and stonewalling from government agencies.