By CHRIS DAVIS and MATTHEW DOIG

Public officials, ignorant of the law or paralyzed by suspicion, regularly thwart citizens exercising their constitutional right to inspect public records, a statewide audit has found.

While journalists and attorneys enjoy the benefits of Florida's open government laws, the same rights are not always granted to Florida's other residents.

During a week in January, the Herald-Tribune and 29 other Florida newspapers tested how officials responded to a routine request to inspect records. Reporters and other news media employees posing as citizens visited 234 local agencies in 62 of Florida's 67 counties.

Overall, 57 percent of the agencies audited complied with the public records law. The rest made unlawful demands or simply refused to turn over the records.

Public officials lied to, harassed and even threatened volunteers who were using a law designed to give citizens the power to watch over their government. In six counties, volunteers were erroneously told that the documents they wanted didn't exist.

One volunteer was almost arrested.

Many officials demanded to know who the volunteers represented and what they planned to do with the information -- clear violations of the open records law, which ensures anonymity when desired.

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And if this is happening at the state level, imagine what goes on at the Federal level...

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I was watching a programme on BBC2 last night about the "World war 3: al qaeda"
, bearing in mind the BBC in general has been anti-war, i must admit it changed my perspective slightly on this kind of thing and the whole situation to be honest.

To a more pro-war perspective. Shock horror lol
Especially in afghanistan.

I can understand these people being very careful, i mean if they slip up they could in the end discover they were part of a chain that costs the lives of many.

Wouldnt you be the same?

Anyway to all of you i suggest watching it next tuesday as well, it was very interesting if not disturbing.

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I couldnt tell you id imagine so they do have a pretty comprehensive webside.

Try www.bbc.co.uk

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some of these public records are "free" for public view, we need this service to be public since it is important.

if large coporations can use these public records for anything, background checks, to law suits...etc. We the mini-small people should have the freedom to do this too. Normal average joes can check public records on business, large coporations, and government officials for anything too.