Expose scandals by exploring public records

By Tarini Parti

Indiana reporters John Russell and Greg Andrews  were both able to expose major scandals in the public and private sectors largely because of the information they learned from digging through public records.

Russell, a reporter at the Indianapolis Star, said he made 23 records requests and read hundreds of emails to write a series of stories that ended up in high-profile resignations and reassignments of state officials.

Andrews, managing editor of Indianapolis Business Journal, exposed how a top Indiana businessman was using an Ohio-based company as his “personal bank,” leading to an FBI investigation and federal charges.

They were joined on the panel by Los Angeles Times reporter Ken Bensinger, a last-minute addition to the panel Saturday at the Society of American Business Editors and Writers‘ conference in Indianapolis, to give business journalists at the conference the following tips on how to use public records:

– Know what you’re looking for and don’t be afraid to ask for it.
– It can be useful to request an agency for names of people who are also requesting the same information, so you know who is also chasing the story.
– Using resources such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s website, National Credit Union Administration website and franchise registrations for covering private companies.
– Digging into already available documents. “Sometimes the smoking gun is there, and you just can’t see it,” Bensinger said.
– Using a database to keep data organize and to look for trends.
– Do enough research to make sure there is no other data that challenges yours.
– Don’t pitch the story to editors until it is “baked.”
– Request documents smartly because you’ll probably get the best ones first — before the agency catches on to what you’re up to.

Parti is a UNC-Chapel Hill journalism student attending the SABEW conference.