NMFOG

We are the nonprofit, nonpartisan Foundation for Open Government. We educate, advocate, and litigate the public's right to know. #nmpol

[NMFOG @nmfog]

Great honor for a former New Mexican at KOB TV ABQ

[Jeremy Jojola @jeremyjojola]

Journalist of the Year isn't something I ever expected, but it is indeed an honor to be named. Thank you to SPJ Colorado Pro. And thanks to all the other local journalists out there who continue to work for their communities under extraordinary and unpredictable circumstances.

[NMFOG @nmfog]

this is so old. I heard the same thing 30 years ago.

[🇺🇸 🦅Simple Man 🦅🇺🇸 @Soaringeagle45]

An elderly Florida woman had just finished her grocery shopping when she returned to the parking lot—and to her surprise, found four young men inside her car, apparently about to drive off.

Without hesitation, she dropped her bags, pulled a handgun from her purse, and shouted, “I have a gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car!”

The startled men didn’t wait for a second warning—they bolted from the vehicle and ran like their lives depended on it.

Still shaking from the adrenaline, the woman gathered her groceries, loaded them into the car, and got into the driver’s seat. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get the key into the ignition.

Puzzled, she looked around the interior… and noticed something odd: a football in the passenger seat, a Frisbee on the floor, and two cases of beer in the back. Slowly, it dawned on her.
She was in the wrong car.
Sure enough, her identical vehicle was parked just a few spaces away. Embarrassed but amused, she moved her bags to her actual car and drove straight to the police station to report the mix-up.

When she finished her story, the desk sergeant burst into laughter.

Then he gestured to the other side of the room—where four very pale young men were nervously describing how they’d been carjacked by a “crazy old lady with curly white hair, glasses, under five feet tall, and packing heat.”
No charges were filed.

[NMFOG @nmfog]

Used to come in egg coloring kits. USD to take the egg out of the dye

[Ron wright @ronsterd89]

Copper wire, Got a few of these in a mixed bag at the thrift store. I already did an image search on Google with poor results. Evidently the image was interpreted as big? It’s about 3 inches tall from end to end. Both loops are hexagons. What is it and its purpose for existing? TIA!

[NMFOG @nmfog]

Doesn’t matter

[Curiosity @CuriosityonX]

What would you do in this situation?

[NMFOG @nmfog]

A lobbyist's only job is to influence our elected officials, yet, at the moment, we have no idea which lobbyists are directly influencing them or why.
House Bill 143 would solve that problem.
That's why we wrote the governor today, urging her to sign HB 143 into law.

[NMFOG @nmfog]

SB 5 is a win for government transparency.
The bipartisan bill creates a nominating committee to make appointments to the state game commission, ensuring the process is fair and open.
We applaud lawmakers for passing this bill and urge Gov. Lujan Grisham to sign it into law.

[NMFOG @nmfog]

Huge thanks to everyone who helped get HB 497 withdrawn. The bill would have rewritten the Inspection of Public Records Act, one of two laws protecting open government. The bill said, among other things, that inmates aren't people and staff members didn't have to answer questions

[NMFOG @nmfog]

To every architect, real estate agent, and lawyer in NM: If HB 283 becomes law, you will be charged a $30-per-hour fee if you want deeds, building permits, plats, zoning information, probate records, civil case files, and more. Tell Rep. Chandler "no"! https://t.co/oYese47QMd

[NMFOG @nmfog]

Reality under HB283: A mom needs a copy of her son’s birth certificate. The online records form has a question about "certification," but she's too tired to read it. She clicks the box then sends the form. Because of that click, she will now pay over $30 for a record that's free.

[NMFOG @nmfog]

We spent our afternoon giving a presentation about Sunshine Laws to public employees visiting from Kazakhstan.
A big thank you to Global Ties ABQ for the opportunity to discuss government transparency with the delegation.
Plus, they gave us chocolate!

[NMFOG @nmfog]

According to House Bill 139, there should be a publically available list of all people who annoy local records custodians.

[NMFOG @nmfog]

Thank you to Highland High School for displaying the First Amendment in their “NewsZroom."
The president of our board of directors spotted it while judging last weekend's NMAA Scholastic Publications Competition for high school journalists at the school.

[NMFOG @nmfog]

Government is only truly open when information is readily available. Transparency and accountability are the norm, not the exception.

[Heath Haussamen @haussamen]

Your ability to access government documents that you own, which is a sacred right in NM, is under attack. My new column details why it's important that we preserve the fundamental principle in the state’s Inspection of Public Records Act. /1 https://t.co/iBEv6LyWqu

[NMFOG @nmfog]

Our friends at Quirky Books are helping #nmfog get in the holiday spirit by selling our handmade cards celebrating the season. Each 12-pack contains 3 designs created by Cathryn Cunningham.

[NMFOG @nmfog]

500. That's the number of people who call us each year for help when a government agency infringes on their First Amendment rights. Your generosity this Giving Tuesday means we can continue to help every single one of them.
https://t.co/RbzfezkwVm
#GivingTuesday #charity #giving

[NMFOG @nmfog]

Best wishes for a wonderful holiday filled with family, friends, food, fun, football, and cranberry sauce.

[NMFOG @nmfog]

We welcome Christine Barber as the new Executive Director of #nmfog. She begins her new positon on Monday!

[NMFOG @nmfog]

Do you know how many records are subject to inspection in NM? Do you want to know more about your rights regarding the IPRA and OMA? Email [email protected] to sign up for Bootcamp on Nov. 26 at 10 a.m.

[NMFOG @nmfog]

Thank you to all the veterans throughout our state who personify patriotism, self-sacrifice and dedication to NM and our country.