President’s Letter

The Georgia First Amendment Foundation advocates for the people’s right to know — the lifeblood of our democracy.

On behalf of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation, thank you for taking time to learn about the important work we do to preserve the rights of Georgians to access their government.

We are an all-volunteer organization made up of journalists, lawyers, public servants and citizens from all walks of life. We fight for transparency in government institutions and help journalists and members of the public push back against efforts to frustrate access to public meetings and public records. We train law enforcement officers about the constitutional protections Georgians enjoy to protest peacefully and photograph or record events in the public square. We are also your advocate at the General Assembly, educating officials and the public about Georgia’s Sunshine Laws and working to protect those laws from encroachment.

Georgia is blessed with strong legal safeguards to public access. I know. I was a reporter and editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for 32 years. But over my career, I have sadly witnessed the slow erosion of our rights to freely access government institutions and information. Public bodies have curtailed or eliminated public comments at meetings. Agencies take longer and longer to turn over public records, and sometimes charge exorbitant fees. Journalists are thwarted and sometimes even arrested while practicing their First Amendment right to chronicle the public’s business and newsworthy events in our communities.

The Georgia First Amendment Foundation stands as a bulwark against these encroachments and many others. If you believe in the public’s right to know, join our efforts. Become a member. Make a donation. We’d be honored to have your support of our crucial mission.

Sincerely,
Ken Foskett
President