"The coronavirus may be starting to disrupt the release of government information, in addition to everyday life.

FBI officials have told attorneys for Freedom of Information Act requesters that the agency's Records Management Division is closed until at least the end of March, BuzzFeed News reported yesterday. And the agency is no longer accepting FOIA requests electronically. Instead, they must be mailed.

In Washington, WUSA reported that the D.C. Council approved emergency legislation that, among many other items, extends deadlines for FOIA requests.

Also, Reuters reported that the Trump administration has classified top-level coronavirus among federal officials, restricting information about the response. Some officials told the wire service that the unusual step has hindered the federal response to the pandemic."

Mike Soraghan and Jennifer Yachnin report for Greenwire March 18, 2020. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"The FBI Has Limited Public Records Requests During The Coronavirus Pandemic" (BuzzFeed) [3]