Featured Documents

Public records belong to the public — and American Oversight has used the federal Freedom of Information Act, state and local open records laws, and targeted litigation to uncover and publish more than a million pages of public documents from all levels of government.

American Oversight Letter to New York Attorney Grievance Committee Requesting Investigation of Deputy AG Bove

Follow the paper trail

American Oversight provides access to the original records requests we submit and the records we uncover. Journalists, watchdogs, and the public are invited to use the database as a research tool to follow the paper trail and hold our government accountable to the people. Browse featured documents below or search the full requests and records archive for more.

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American Oversight Statement to Senate Judiciary Committee on FOIA

American Oversight’s written statement submitted on April 8, 2025, before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on “The Freedom of Information Act:…

attacks on FOIAFederal
April 8, 2025
person

DOD Records of Security Clearance Revocations and Suspensions During Early Months of the Trump and Biden Administrations 

Defense Department records showing the number of security clearances revoked or suspended during the first months of both the Trump and Biden admin…

dismantling federal agenciesFederal
April 1, 2025

Letter to the Oklahoma State Department of Education Demanding the Release of Public Records

American Oversight letter to the Oklahoma State Department of Education demanding the release of multiple sets of public records that the agency ha…

attacks on educationgovernment transparency
March 17, 2025

Letter to Acting Archivist Rubio Regarding Orders to Shred or Burn USAID Documents

American Oversight’s letter to NARA regarding the unlawful destruction of USAID records in violation of the Federal Records Act.

government transparencyFederal
March 11, 2025

Letter to National Archives and CFPB Regarding Potential Unlawful Destruction of Records

American Oversight’s letter to NARA and the CFPB regarding the unlawful destruction or removal of CFPB records in violation of the Federal Records …

government transparencyFederal
February 27, 2025

Select Documents from Multiple Agencies Containing Communications Sent to and Received by Kash Patel During First Trump Administration

Records including calendar logs and communications sent to and received by Kash Patel from 2018 to 2021.

January 6Trump nomineesFederal
February 20, 2025

American Oversight Letter to New York Attorney Grievance Committee Requesting Investigation of Deputy AG Bove

Complaint asking New York authorities to investigate potential professional misconduct by acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, who oversaw and…

February 19, 2025

American Oversight – Declaration in Support of Ongoing FOIA Litigation Against U.S. State Department

American Oversight submitted the declaration in support of ongoing litigation over the State Department’s egregious FOIA-processing delays.

attacks on FOIAdocument preservation requirementsFederal
February 18, 2025

Letters to State, USAID, NARA Regarding Potential FRA Violations

Letters to the State Department, USAID, and the National Archives regarding the potential unlawful destruction or removal of USAID records in viola…

document preservation requirementsFederal
February 5, 2025

Georgia State Election Board for Communications with Anti-Voter Groups and Individuals

Records from the Georgia State Election Board in response to American Oversight’s request for board member communications with anti-voter groups an…

attacks on educationGeorgia
February 5, 2025

Texas Attorney General Records Regarding the Election Integrity Division

Records from the Texas Attorney General in response to American Oversight’s request seeking Election Integrity Division records.

election administrationTexas
February 4, 2025

American Oversight Letters to Elon Musk and Multiple Federal Agencies Warning Against the Unlawful Destruction or Removal of DOGE Communications

American Oversight letters to Elon Musk and multiple federal agencies warning them to preserve all records related to the newly created “Department…

DOGE secrecygovernment transparencyFederal
January 23, 2025

Texas Governor’s Office Communications with Tom Homan About Border Wire

The texts, from before President Trump’s second term began, highlight the collaborative relationship between Homan and Gov. Greg Abbott.

immigrationTexas
January 8, 2025

Defense Department Communications from 2020–2021 Transition Period

Records released in response to American Oversight’s litigation for emails or decision memoranda from key political appointees during the 2020–2021…

January 2, 2025

Kentucky State Board of Elections Communications Regarding ERIC Membership

Records from the Kentucky State Board of Elections in response to American Oversight’s request seeking communications regarding Kentucky’s ERIC mem…

the Electronic Registration Information CenterKentucky
January 1, 2025

USCIS Records Regarding Federal Spending at Trump Properties

Records from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in response to American Oversight’s request seeking documents regarding federal spending at …

Trump businessesFederal
December 12, 2024

Waukesha County, Wis., Records Regarding Plans to Monitor Ballot Drop Boxes 

Records received from the Waukesha County, Wis., Sheriff’s Office, in response to American Oversight’s request for communications regarding True th…

election administrationelection denialWisconsin
November 20, 2024

Wyoming Governor’s Office Communications Related to Non-Citizen Voting

Records from the Wyoming Governor’s office received in response to American Oversight’s request for communications related to non-citizen voting. T…

voting rightsWyoming
November 20, 2024

Virginia Department of Elections Communications with Election Denier Activists

Records from the Virginia Department of Elections received in response to American Oversight’s request seeking communications with election denier …

election denialVirginia
November 15, 2024

Racine County, Wis., Communications With and About True the Vote

Records received from Racine County, Wis., in response to American Oversight’s request for communications with and about True the Vote and their pl…

voting rightsWisconsin
November 7, 2024

Virginia Department of Elections Records Related to Implementation of Executive Orders 31 and 35

Records from the Virginia Department of Elections received in response to American Oversight’s request for communications related to the implementa…

election administrationthe Electronic Registration Information Centervoting rightsVirginia
November 4, 2024

Barry County, Mich., Sheriff’s Office Communications with Election Deniers

Records from the Barry County, Mich., Sheriff’s Office received in response to AmericanOversight’s request seeking communications with and about Tr…

voting rightsMichigan
October 31, 2024

American Oversight v. Georgia State Election Board — Access to Election-Related Public Records 

American Oversight’s lawsuit against the Georgia State Election Board alleging that some board members have refused to adequately search for or pro…

government transparencyGeorgia
October 31, 2024

Letters to Multiple State Officials Regarding Retention of Election-Related Documents 

American Oversight letters sent to multiple officials in Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin asking them to preserve election-related doc…

election administrationgovernment transparencyArizonaGeorgiaPennsylvaniaWisconsin
October 31, 2024