Authority Responds to FOIA Request on Legal Fees

The Reporter is reliably informed that the Attorney General has issued a response acknowledging the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking disclosure of government legal fees. According to credible sources, the reply was made at the end of the 14-day statutory deadline. Further details remain limited, and The Reporter will continue to follow the matter closely.

The FOIA application, dated August 18, 2025, called for a full accounting of all payments made by the State to attorneys and law firms engaged in litigation over the 2025 General Elections and electoral boundaries. It requested itemized disclosure of amounts paid since January 1, 2025, listing each lawyer or firm by name and total sum.

The request was grounded in Section 12 of the FOIA, which provides for access to official documents, and cited Section 16, which requires a response within two weeks. Transparency in legal expenditures, the application argued, is essential to maintaining public trust, particularly when taxpayer funds are used to defend electoral boundaries widely criticized as malapportioned.

Concerns over the use of state funds in politically sensitive cases are not new. Past debates have centered on millions spent in negotiations over the Blue Bond and on law firms with political ties. Calls for disclosure in this instance highlight ongoing demands for accountability and assurances that public money is being spent proportionately, justifiably, and with value for taxpayers.

The FOIA request is part of a broader push by civic actors to ensure transparency in governance. While confirmation of the response has now surfaced, observers await the official acknowledgement and substantive reply. The Reporter will continue monitoring developments and provide updates as they become available.