INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING 101:

NATIONAL PRESS FOUNDATION

KIMBRIELL KELLY
THE WASHINGTON POST
JUNE 3, 2018
WHO AM I?
HOW I DO WHAT I DO
GETTING IDEAS
1. Meetings/Sources
2. Court filings
3. Online forums
• i.e. LEO Affairs
4. Footnotes
5. Online databases
• Award entries at ire.org
AWARD ENTRIES – THE RECIPES FOR A STORY
IRE.ORG
YOU HAVE A STORY IDEA? BUT, IS IT REALLY AN
INVESTIGATIVE STORY?
ASK YOURSELF A FEW QUESTIONS FIRST…

1. WHAT’S BROKEN?
2. HARM
3. SCOPE
4. IMPACT
5. UNIQUE
YAY! YOU HAVE A STORY! WHAT’S NEXT?:

COLLECT DATA
GETTING DOCS & DATA
1. Online
• Google Advanced Search databases
2. FOIA
• Complaints by civilians
• Summary IA records of officers (free)
• Early warning system results
• E-mails of leaders
3. FORMS
• i.e. DOE, DOJ, local government websites
4. COURT DOCS
• Courthouse files/clerks
• PACER, COURTLINK
QUICK DATA: GOOGLE ADVANCED SEARCH (.XLS)
GETTING DATA THROUGH FOIA
In the last year, I’ve sent
>200 FOIAs and gotten

10,000 pages in records and

databases. Here’s how.
OVERALL TIPS FOR REQUESTING PUBLIC
RECORDS:
1. THINK STRATEGICALLY: It’s a continuum
2. FIND THE RIGHT SOURCE
3. FOIA THE FOIA
4. KNOW THE LAW: Read it, cite it
5. BE “SUPER” SPECIFIC
6. LIMIT YOUR REQUEST
7. BUILD A TEMPLATE
8. FILE OFTEN
9. GET HELP
10.CUT BAIT
11.SAY THANK YOU
12.FOLLOW UP
13.TRACK YOUR PROGRESS
14.ASK FOR MORE
15.NEED IDEAS? IRE.ORG
Kimbriell.Kelly@washpost.com
FOIA BACK-END DATA FROM FORMS
YOU WILL ENCOUNTER PROBLEMS…
OVERCOMING THE OBSTACLES
1. LARGE/BROAD REQUESTS
1. Learn what format the data is kept
1. Talk to public records custodian
2. FOIA the record layout
3. Ask that the data be queried – send search terms
4. Limit years
5. Limit search terms
2. FEES
1. Ask if someone has already requested the data, get that
2. Request fee waiver
3. Ask them to explain the fees to understand what’s
driving up the cost
4. Negotiate
3. FORMAT OF FINAL DOCUMENTS
1. Standard language in FOIA
NEED MORE SOLUTIONS? FOLLOW ME ON
TWITTER
NEXT STOP, EXECUTION: WHAT I’VE DONE
 QUESTIONS?

Kimbriell Kelly
Kimbriell.Kelly@washpost.com
(202) 302-7540 cell