Update: We’re still not giving up
Update: We’re still not giving up
Last February, CSLDF’s newsletter was titled “Giving up is not an option.” One year later, we can confidently say that we－along with the many scientists we have helped since Trump returned to office－have not given up in the face of immense challenges.
We continue to be busier than ever. In just the first two months of 2026, we have helped 17 researchers seeking legal assistance and guidance. This is a staggering start to the year when compared with 2025, an already record-breaking year during which we helped a total of 72 scientists.
Increasingly, a significant portion of our clients are coming to us for help with invasive open records requests. While state and federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) laws are intended to improve government transparency, they are also being used to attack scientists and interfere with research on contentious topics such as climate change or vaccines. Bad actors misuse FOIA laws by seeking years or decades’ worth of irrelevant communications with the goal of misrepresenting or discrediting scientists and their work. (Anyone truly interested in the science can and should instead review the actual research or datasets, not look for “gotchas” in old emails.) Researchers targeted in this way are forced to spend time and money defending themselves, often to the detriment of their personal and professional lives.
That’s where we come in. Since our first client 15 years ago, we have helped many scientists facing lawsuits intended not to provide transparency but to intimidate them, invade their privacy, or silence them altogether. We also recently updated our in-depth guide to open records laws in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., another resource for scientists, lawyers, and the public to better understand how their state’s laws protect scientific research (or, in many cases, do not).
We also continue to track government attacks on science in the Silencing Science Tracker with our colleagues at the Sabin Center, documenting the Trump administration’s ongoing assault on science－and the many setbacks it has suffered as people and institutions continue to push back.
A little over one year into the second Trump administration, things remain uncertain, overwhelming, and, in many cases, heartbreaking. But we can confidently say that we have not given up, and we have no plans to do so until the fight is won.
Please note that things are moving very quickly and may have changed by the time you read this newsletter.
Upcoming Events
AAG 2026 – Free & Confidential Legal Consultations
March 19 – 20, 2026 | San Francisco or via Zoom
Scientists attending the American Association of Geographers 2026 conference can meet with CSLDF attorneys for free, 30-minute, one-on-one legal consultations. Join us to discuss issues such as First Amendment matters, employment concerns, strategies for safeguarding online communications from adverse interests, or any other legal questions or concerns.