FOIA
Published: May 2025 | All rights reserved. This publication is protected under U.S. and international laws governing free speech and journalism.
As part of F’nAround’s ongoing work as an independent media platform and protected journalistic outlet, we occasionally publish correspondence and commentary tied to our investigative and comedic reporting on public figures, corporations, and cultural events.
After the previous article dropped about an Illinois government official using a public-facing platform to block comments based on criticism violating constitutional protections established under Knight v. Trump and related cases, as interpreted by multiple federal courts there has been significant interest from our side in how these violations intersect with broader free speech, FOIA, and civil rights concerns.
This includes core First Amendment protections and civil rights safeguarded under federal law.
In parallel, our team has been tracking multiple public record requests under the Illinois FOIA statute, some of which remain improperly delayed or unanswered which may constitute potential violations under both state law and federal transparency standards. Additionally, we’ve initiated formal PAC (Public Access Counselor) complaints to compel compliance, and an escalation to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division.
But this story is bigger than any one article or filing.
It has become clear it appears that this is not an isolated series of technical violations it is part of a pattern of systemic suppression targeting journalists, watchdog platforms, and protected investigative work. At F’nAround, this suppression has included the targeted blocking/deleting of public questions, the delay or ignoring of lawful FOIA requests, and broader chilling effects on free speech, all directed at a small independent media outlet exposing state-approved corruption in the cannabis industry and beyond.
After internal discussion, and in light of how many members of our team including myself, have now directly experienced violations of our civil rights and First Amendment freedoms, we believe this is a topic best explored in a more open, dynamic format.
Therefore, instead of simply publishing another written exposé, the full F’nAround team will be dedicating an upcoming podcast episode to this issue. We will walk through:
• Our current FOIA requests and violations
• The role of the PAC and the legal process for review
• How and when these issues escalate to the DOJ Civil Rights Division
• What these violations mean for independent media and public accountability
• How Illinois government officials are attempting to weaponize administrative delay and platform suppression to chill protected speech
Sometimes the most powerful response to censorship is not more words on a page but a louder microphone.
We look forward to bringing this discussion to our listeners soon. After the release of the episode we will publish all requests, filings, and FOIA information received as we receive it.
Stay tuned.
We’re Assholes so you don’t have to be!
The F’nAround Team
Legal Disclaimer: This content is published by F’nAround Media as part of protected investigative and journalistic reporting. All statements herein are based on documented public records, legal filings, and protected opinion. This publication is made in accordance with applicable U.S. constitutional, statutory, and case law governing free speech, public interest reporting, and independent media protections.
F’nAround Disclaimer: Yeah, we know the drill this is protected investigative journalism and opinion. Everything here is based on public records, legal filings, and facts we can back up (with receipts). We play by the First Amendment, federal case law, and the beautiful mess that is U.S. transparency statutes. So if you’re thinking about suing… don’t. We’re assholes, but we’re protected assholes.