Best of the Week — First Winner

AP Exclusive: EPA's Pruitt spent millions on security, travel

Environmental Protection Administrator Scott Pruitt’s lavish spending and deep concerns about security had put his future in the Trump Cabinet in jeopardy. But what was the cost to taxpayers?

AP beat reporter Michael Biesecker, whose aggressive coverage of Pruitt began more than a year ago when Trump nominated him for the EPA post, began working sources still at the agency and those who had left in search of the answer. His findings – that Pruitt spent about a whopping $3 million on security in the first year – win the Beat of the Week award.

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

APNewsBreak: Private business meeting on Illinois governor’s calendar

for confirming a critical claim in a former business partner’s lawsuit against Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner – that they met at the Executive Mansion in Springfield on May 11, 2015 – because O'Connor has consistently filed monthly FOIA requests for the official calendars and had Rauner’s schedule from that date on file. http://trib.in/2BRQciC

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

Indiana vague about reasons for withholding Pence's emails

for a report based on FOIA requests that exposed how Indiana officials are refusing to release a number of emails from Vice President Mike Pence’s AOL account that he used while governor. http://wapo.st/2x7nbxI

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

Iowa bill to keep many 911 calls secret dropped after AP coverage

for using FOIA to reveal the details of a public records/confidentiality bill that had received no attention. Because of their reporting, the Legislature dropped the measure. http://bit.ly/2pa6kqF

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

Illinois worst in reclaiming jobless benefits

or turning a discovery inside one of his persistent state-government FOIA requests into an AP Exclusive: The story showed that Illinois, despite serious financial problems, is the worst state at recovering overpaid unemployment benefits, to the tune of more than $700 million. http://trib.in/2dVANFU

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

Gay police chief didn't follow town policy

for filing a FOIA to force the town of Latta to disclose why the state’s first female and openly gay sheriff had been suspended for five days. http://bit.ly/2bVpxEm

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

Arkansas execution drug likely from Pfizer unit

Claudia Lauer, reporter, Little Rock, Arkansas, for using FOIA requests to show that Arkansas intended to use a drug for executions made by a company that doesn't want its drugs used for that purpose.