FOIA Request to Cook County regarding vendor payment registers on February 1, 2026.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Cook County, Illinois, by Chicago City Wire on February 1, 2026. The request seeks access to the county’s vendor payment register for the immediately preceding calendar month. This request is made under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, and emphasizes the preference for receiving these records in an electronic format.
The specific details requested include the names of vendors paid by the county, dates and amounts of payments, and descriptions of goods or services purchased. The aim is to gather information of public interest for dissemination to the public without necessitating the creation of new documents. In case any part of this request is denied or withheld, a statutory basis for such denial is requested along with all reasonably segregable portions of the records.
Chicago City Wire identifies itself as a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs. As part of its role in holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency, it requests a fee waiver typically available to media professionals.
The requestor also mentions affiliation with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that aids media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies using FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found at https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
Cook County is known for its significant educational infrastructure with an average student-to-teacher ratio of 14-to-1 during the 2022-23 school year. It had an enrollment of 672,009 students and employed 48,761 full-time faculty members across its schools.
Our team will continue to keep you updated as we gather and report news related to this request and other matters of public interest. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification regarding this matter.
