Records obtained by The Times-Dispatch show that city officials have spent $234,111.35 defending the wrongful termination lawsuit brought by Connie Clay, a former Freedom of Information Act officer who in 2024 was fired by former city spokesperson Petula Burks. That’s only $15,888.65 less than Clay is seeking in her filing. The invoices do not indicate an hourly rate or a specific service. Attorneys for the city have argued several pre-trial hearings, and the case is currently in the discovery and deposition stage. Emails obtained by The Times-Dispatch show that Clay submitted her own FOIA request for all invoices connected to her case on June 6. In response, a city FOIA officer sent Clay eight invoices dated between May 31, 2024, and May 31, 2025 — but omitted a ninth invoice dated April 30, 2025, that was included in the records disclosed to The Times-Dispatch. Clay immediately noticed the missing document and emailed the FOIA officer to confirm that all invoices had been disclosed. Three days later, the FOIA officer sent Clay the ninth invoice, worth $64,056.29 — the largest of the bunch.

If you ask Mayor Danny Avula, he’ll tell you he understands the importance of transparency. It was one of his central campaign pledges and, in the six months since he took office, City Hall has in some ways shifted. There was the expansive — if heavily redacted — library of documents related to the water crisis that city officials published online. There was the release of severance package records that had been withheld by the previous administration, though names of the recipients were still concealed. Meanwhile, compliance with rules set by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act has increased significantly with respect to requests submitted by the Richmond Times-Dispatch — although city officials continue to charge large, discretionary fees for disclosing public records. But at least one transparency-related issue remains as yet unchanged: city officials still are not publishing City Hall’s monthly expenditures online, as they are required to do under city code. Asked whether he would resume the mandated practice of disclosing city spending, Avula said he was open to the idea, but that officials simply don’t have the resources or the manpower at the moment.

Newport News has rolled out a new Virginia Freedom of Information Act (VFOIA) Responses Protocol, aiming to enhance transparency and streamline public access to government records. The city processes more than 2,000 VFOIA requests each year and says the new formalized system will improve consistency, compliance with state law, and the overall experience for residents. Designed and administered by the City Attorney’s Office, the updated protocol includes clearer procedures for redaction, document retention, request processing costs, and staff training. City officials say the move strengthens their long-standing commitment to timely and transparent responses. Through the city’s online Freedom of Information Act Request Center, residents can now easily submit requests, browse archived public records, access monthly property code violations, and retrieve frequently requested documents such as the Mayor’s Statement of Economic Interest and Mayor’s travel expenses.

A Norfolk Circuit Court judge ruled in favor of a Norfolk Electoral Board member. Judge Everett Martin, in an opinion released Wednesday, allowed Norfolk Electoral Board Vice Chair Marianne McKay to retain her position. The order comes after several Norfolk election officials attempted to remove McKay, alleging she failed to perform her job duties and betrayed the nonpartisan nature of the office. In his order, Martin said it was clear that election officials found McKay “meddlesome and obnoxious, and they wish to be rid of her.” However, he said the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, which prosecuted the case, did not present compelling evidence that she had failed to perform her duties or engaged in political activity while on the job.

The Texas Supreme Court has ruled two of Texas’ most powerful leaders do not have to release years of emails related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and communications with gun lobbyists after the 2022 Uvalde shooting. American Oversight, a government watchdog nonprofit, filed a lawsuit in 2022 seeking access to Attorney General Ken Paxton’s emails in the days around Jan. 6, 2021, as well as his and Gov. Greg Abbott’s communications with National Rifle Association officials after the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde. In a Friday decision that narrows the public’s legal options to challenge Texas officials under the state’s open records law, the Texas Supreme Court sided with Abbott and Paxton, who argued they did not have to release some records due to rules protecting confidential communications with attorneys. The state’s top officials also say they had complied with open records law just by responding to American Oversight’s request. In its finding, the high court agreed with Abbott and Paxton’s further argument that it is the only legal body in Texas with authority to review executive officials’ compliance with open records law — not the lower district court in which American Oversight first sought intervention.

Three bills to improve school board transparency await Gov. Matt Meyer’s approval amid dysfunction within the Christina School Board. Board member Doug Manley is suing Baqir over his eligibility to serve on the board. Baqir has reportedly been living in Pakistan and attended meetings virtually for the past 16 months. The three bills passed would require all school board meetings to provide a virtual option for the public, provide guidelines for when members can participate virtually and require member background checks.