Re-consider the Federal Election Commission web site for campaign finance searching. It’s better now.

Spike Lee Twitter mistake raises issue of “subject confusion,” i.e. just because someone has the same name as your research subject doesn’t mean they are your research subject

Steve Jobs FBI file –The FBI uses public records too

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) maintains a computerized database that tracks every Medicare claim filed by providers and every dollar paid out to beneficiaries. The database is accessible by government investigators to detect fraud, but it is unavailable in its entirety to the general public due to a 1979 federal court decision. Yesterday, a United States Magistrate Judge recommended that the case be reopened for consideration.

Yesterday, The New York Times ran a piece discussing the decision by Henry Holt & Company to stop printing and selling The Last Train from Hiroshima. Publishers have consistently claimed that fact checking book-length works is too cumbersome and that ultimately authors are responsible for the content of their work. Regardless of how the book publishing industry opts to come to terms with fact checking challenges, the Times piece contained a good rule of thumb for public records researchers.

While disclosure is voluntary at the federal level, there is some early momentum among legislators to provide their daily appointment calendars on their websites.

The East Valley Tribune in Mesa, Arizona, received a Pulitzer prize for its investigation of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO). The Tribune spent several months submitting public records requests related to MCSO operations and conducting interviews to learn more about the efficacy of Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s high publicized illegal immigration enforcement program. The project provides an interesting case study on how to use law enforcement agency statistics to understand department trends and priorities.

In preparing for an upcoming trial, it is crucial to know the background of any expert witness you are going to cross-examine. Reviewing their previous work and past statements will provide insight into any biases they may possess, and give you the foresight necessary for a stronger case.

Despite the ready availability of public records that could help publishers perform simple fact checks on the manuscripts and personalities they handle, few do - making literary and media deception fairly simple to pull off.

In the coming weeks and months, individuals will be nominated by the Obama White House to serve in various federal agencies and judicial positions. Here we provide an overview of the federal nomination and confirmation process and the role that public records play in the success or failure of nominees.