New Mexico Foundation for Open Government
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New
Mexico Foundation for Open Government
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The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government is an educational and
charitable organization with a single mission--to help the general public,
students, educators, public officials, media and legal professionals understand, obtain and exercise:
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Their First
Amendment rights.
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Their rights and
responsibilities under the New Mexico Open Meetings,
Inspection of
Public Records and Arrest Record Information Acts.
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Their rights
under the federal Freedom of Information Act.
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The foundation
began this work in 1990 and will continue it into the foreseeable future.
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Commonly known as
FOG, the foundation has received both state and national honors, including:
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New Mexico Bar Foundation’s Media
Award in 1991 for responsible reporting of law-related issues in its
newsletter, FOG LIGHT.
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In 2000, FOG was named the only
finalist for the Scripps-Howard Foundation’s Distinguished Service to the
First Amendment Award; FOG founder and longtime executive director Bob Johnson
was also elected to the New Mexico Press Hall of Fame.
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In 2002, Johnson received the
Albuquerque Bar Association’s Liberty Bell Award.
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In 2003, Johnson was one of the first
three inducted into Heroes of the 50 States: the State Open Government Hall of
Fame, a joint creation of the National Freedom of Information Coalition and
the Society of Professional Journalists.
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In 2004, Bob Johnson was chosen for
the Common Cause New Mexico "Working for the Best in Government
Award."
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All membership
dues, donations and grant monies are used to support FOG’s efforts through
literature, seminars, lectures, teamwork with the Attorney General's Office
and litigation.
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NMFOG was created
to fill a specific need because public officials and public agencies in New Mexico
were – and some still are – often disdainful of the public's right to know
and of the laws intended to insure public access to government
decision-making.
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NMFOG was
incorporated in June, 1989, and received recognition as a tax-exempt
501(C)(3) non-profit organization as of December 6, 1990.
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The inspiration
for forming NMFOG came from the New Mexico Legislature in 1987 when a member
of the House Judiciary Committee told witnesses at a hearing on proposed
improvements in the Inspection of Public Records Act that the media are just
"a special interest group" and do not represent the public.
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NMFOG has only
one employee, an executive director, who carries out all operational,
educational and fund-raising activities with assistance and advice from the
Board of Directors.
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The board
consists of 25 directors drawn from journalism, law, education and the
general public.
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Ten lawyers form
a Hotline team that provides the executive director with pro bono information
and advice on questions of access to either meetings or records. These
lawyers are available to answer other First Amendment questions as well.
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The NMFOG
Hotline, available free of charge at (888) 843-9121, handles hundreds of
telephone calls each year.
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