Exclusivity was the point of Wu-Tang Clan's Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. Only one copy was produced. A few minutes of it were played -- once -- in public. It sold at auction, with the condition it be heard only in private. And the album may have remained shrouded in mystery, were it not for a pharma bro, a Justice Department seizure... and the power of the Freedom of Information Act.

Thanks to Open Mike Eagle for reading this week's Justice Department documents.

For access to episodes early and ad-free, subscribe at www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts

Exclusivity was the point of Wu-Tang Clan's&nbsp;Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. Only one copy was produced. A few minutes of it were played -- once -- in public. It sold at auction, with the condition it be heard only in private.&nbsp;And the album may have remained shrouded in mystery, were it not for a pharma bro, a Justice Department seizure... and the power of the Freedom of Information Act.
Thanks to Open Mike Eagle for reading this week's Justice Department documents.
For access to episodes early and ad-free, subscribe at <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts" data-destination="rte:bind">www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts</a>

How did Russian pranksters trick a top government official? What happens to documents flushed down White House toilets? The answers exist. The trick is getting the government to disclose them.

 

By law, nearly every move federal agencies make—every email, every memo, every receipt—belongs to the public. The key to gaining access is the Freedom of Information Act. It’s the tool that forces the government to open its files…though rarely without a fight.

 

From Bloomberg & No Smiling, Disclosure is a podcast about cracking open those secrets. Join FOIA reporter Jason Leopold and First Amendment attorney Matt Topic for a guided tour of explosive details, bureaucratic foibles and details that powerful people never wanted you to know. For access to episodes on Apple early and ad-free, subscribe at www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts.

How did Russian pranksters trick a top government official? What happens to documents flushed down White House toilets? The answers exist. The trick is getting the government to disclose them.
&nbsp;
By law, nearly every move federal agencies make&mdash;every email, every memo, every receipt&mdash;belongs to the public. The key to gaining access is the Freedom of Information Act. It&rsquo;s the tool that forces the government to open its files&hellip;though rarely without a fight.
&nbsp;
From Bloomberg &amp; No Smiling, Disclosure is a podcast about cracking open those secrets. Join FOIA reporter Jason Leopold and First Amendment attorney Matt Topic for a guided tour of explosive details, bureaucratic foibles and details that powerful people never wanted you to know. For access to episodes on Apple early and ad-free, subscribe at <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts" data-destination="rte:bind">www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts</a>.

Disclosure

To Crack Wu-Tang Album's Secrets, FOIA FOIA Y'All (Feat. Open Mike Eagle)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6422557e-7c39-4594-8bc6-b39f017b150a/transcript

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