The FOIA Cudgel: Defending Against the Latest Weapon Used to Attack Scientists

Attempts to use open records laws to undermine a few individual scientists, and thereby cast doubt on an entire body of research, are no different than other attacks on scientists dating back decades. Universities that proactively explain how they will interpret these laws will be more likely to avoid costly and time-consuming lawsuits. I will provide historical context for this debate and argue that both individual scientists and universities should be fully prepared to defend themselves.