“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance….” — James Madison
New name: Minnesotans for Open Government
Since our founding in 1989, we’ve been called Minnesota Coalition on Government Information, often referred to as MNCOGI. Our new name, Minnesotans for Open Government, is the product of a months-long review of our mission, vision and values, goals and role in the community.
Watch this space for news of more changes, including a new look and information about how individuals and organizations can join us as champions of government transparency.
Minnesotans for Open Government is the state’s all-volunteer freedom of information council, dedicated to the fight against secrecy. We educate the public, advocate before the legislature and take part in litigation, if need be, to further the cause of government transparency and the public’s right to know.
Commentary about access to Attorney General’s records
May 5, 2025: The Minnesota Star Tribune published a commentary written by our board member Don Gemberling, stressing the need for legislative action to restore public access to records held by the Minnesota Attorney General’s office.
Gemberling wrote: “No other government entity in Minnesota enjoys near-total control over public access to its data.”
Need Help?
If you’re a Minnesota citizen or reporter who needs help accessing government records or a governmental body’s public meeting, we can answer your questions and explain potential options. We can also help guide you through the process making an open records request and what to expect once you’ve made it. We offer no legal services.
Contact MNCOGI spokesperson Don Gemberling at mncogi@gmail.com or phone 651-699-6553.
2025 Freedom of Information Awards
March 11, 2025: Minnesotans for Open Government, formerly MNCOGI, announced the winners of the John Finnegan Freedom of Information Award and the John Borger Lifetime Achievement Award.
The John Borger Lifetime Achievement Award: Minnesota Star Tribune reporter Randy Furst, who recently retired after a 52-year career. Furst has been a fierce defender of the First Amendment and government transparency. He has a long track record of using the state’s public records law to shine light on government wrong-doing. That includes two years’ worth of reporting that revealed a now defunct Metro Gang Strike Force was engaging in questionable or illegal activity. He has also been a champion for the First Amendment, leading numerous efforts to protect journalists.
The John Finnegan Freedom of Information Award: Ramsey County District Court Judge Patrick Diamond. Judge Diamond, who died unexpectedly in February, is being honored for a 2024 ruling that the City of Saint Paul had willfully and repeatedly violated the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA) when responding to a citizen’s data request. “Judge Diamond’s insightful and comprehensive assessment of the City’s failure to comply with the letter and spirit of the MGDPA provides enormously valuable legal precedent that substantially contributes to open government in Minnesota.”
Oral argument in MNCOGI v. Minneapolis coaching case
Counsel for MNCOGI recently participated in oral argument related to MNCOGI’s long-running Data Practices lawsuit against the City of Minneapolis. MNCOGI’s lawsuit seeks documents related to the City’s use of “coaching” — including instances where coaching has been used to disciplinary measure to address “B-Level” and above misconduct by police officers.
In 2021, MNCOGI submitted a Data Practices Act request that sought multiple categories of records related to the use of “coaching” by the Minneapolis Police Department. In response to this request, the City categorically denied access to all such records.
MNCOGI then filed suit, contending that the records were wrongfully withheld — including because coaching is, at least sometimes, being used as a form of disciplinary action within the MPD, and documents related to final disciplinary action should be publicly available under the Minnesota Data Practices Act.
Because of ongoing litigation, all inquiries about MNCOGI v. City of Minneapolis should be directed to our counsel, Leita Walker. She can be reached by email at WalkerL@ballardspahr.com.
MNCOGI board chair MaryJo Webster receives Popovich Award
June 2024: MNCOGI board chair MaryJo Webster recently received the Peter S. Popovich Award from the Minnesota Society for Professional Journalists. The award is given annually to “a person or organization that exemplifies the fight for First Amendment Rights.”
Webster is the data editor for the Minnesota Star Tribune. She is also a senior fellow for the Center for Health Journalism’s Data Fellowship program, where she trains and mentors journalists on how to incorporate data into their reporting. She previously taught part-time at the University of Minnesota’s journalism school and is a regular panelist and teacher at national journalism conferences and workshops.
Previously, she worked at the St. Paul Pioneer Press, USA Today, the Center for Public Integrity, Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Oshkosh Northwestern, and the New Ulm Journal.
Read the Star Tribune’s coverage of Webster’s award here.
MNOG in the News. MNOG has been in the news recently. Read these media stories to find out why.
Minnesota Reformer: A bill critics say would aid government secrecy is on the ropes
The Villager Newspaper: District court finds city violated Minnesota’s Data Practices Act
Star Tribune: Judge weighs arguments on whether Minneapolis broke law in secretive police “coaching”
MNCOGI was busy at the Minnesota Capitol and the courts in 2024, working both to pass needed new laws and to curb efforts that could impinge on existing public data access rights.
Red Light cameras. MNCOGI has been providing input to a working group focused on red light camera/speed camera policy. During the 2024 legislative session, MNCOGI took part in negotiations over the red light/speed camera pilot project that passed at the end of session. Since then, MNCOGI has provided input on transparency issues to the red light/speed camera working group convened by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
Attorney General data. MNCOGI spokesperson Don Gemberling testified before the Legislative Commission on Data Practices regarding problems with the Minnesota Supreme Court’s new interpretation of the Attorney General’s data classification statute. Read more…
Minnesota Open Meeting Law. MNCOGI worked on initiatives to improve Minnesota’s Open Meeting Law (OML), and also worked to stem problematic OML legislation. Read more…
Hennepin County data bill. MNCOGI worked to stop a problematic Hennepin County data bill from advancing through the legislative process. Read more…
Preserving access to DLI data. When the Minnesota Department of Labor, along with the Attorney General and several other state entities brought forward a bill to create a new “Intergovernmental Misclassification” Partnership entity, the bill language could be read to exempt the new entity from the Data Practices Act. Read more…
Don Gemberling: Hall of Famer
Don Gemberling, MNCOGI’s longest serving board member, has been unanimously inducted into the National Freedom of Information Coalition’s State Open Government Hall of Fame, class of 2023.
