Unsealed
Unsealed is my limited-series podcast that takes you behind the scenes of various open government projects I’ve worked on in the past, projects I’m working on now, and a few I hope to launch in the foreseeable future. In each episode, we dig into the genesis, purpose, and objectives of specific transparency efforts—and the public records that are critical to their success.Some episodes focus on the practical application of Florida’s Public Records Act and Sunshine Law. I’m not a lawyer, so nothing in this podcast should be taken as legal advice—because it’s not. But I can share practical insights from the perspective of someone who’s made a lot of records requests and attended more than my fair share of public meetings.
Whether you’re a concerned citizen, an activist, an attorney, or a public official, if you’re interested in open government in Florida, there’s something here for you.This series is produced using AI. I use ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini to research and develop content. I write the prompts, review and edit the output, and then vocalize each episode using ElevenLabs, with a cloned voice trained to sound like me—because sometimes, I’m just not in the mood to talk out loud.Occasionally, Unsealed episodes will be recorded “live,” especially when I’m interviewing special guests. I’ll always let you know whether an episode is AI-generated or live.
Where there are no secrets, there are no lies.
- Update frequency
- every day
- Average duration
- 26 minutes
- Episodes
- 15
- Years Active
- 2025
Watergate, Epstine and a future without legacy media.
In this episode of Unsealed, Joel Chandler takes us from the shadowy corners of the Watergate scandal to the lurid undoing of Jeffrey Epstein—and shows us what they have in common: legacy media that …
What Gets Agencies in Trouble When Responding to Public Records Requests.
In this episode of Unsealed, Joel Chandler breaks down the six most common—and completely avoidable—mistakes that get Florida agencies into legal trouble when responding to public records requests. S…
Lowell Correctional: What the DOJ Found Behind the Walls
In this episode of Unsealed, Joel takes listeners inside the largest women’s prison in the United States—Lowell Correctional Institution in Ocala, Florida. Drawing on federal Department of Justice fi…
The Sunland Hospital System
In this episode of Unsealed, Joel Chandler exposes the dark history of Florida’s Sunland Hospital System. Originally designed to provide care for individuals with developmental disabilities, Sunland …
The Poor and Minority Justice Association (PMJA)
In this episode of Unsealed, Joel Chandler introduces listeners to the Poor and Minority Justice Association (PMJA), an organization dedicated to advancing transparency, accountability, and equal jus…
Open Government Resources and a Standing Invitation
In this episode of Unsealed, Joel Chandler highlights the resources available to citizens, journalists, and advocates who want to better understand and use Florida’s Public Records and Sunshine Laws.…
How to Avoid Public Records Litigation – Staying Out of Court
In this episode of Unsealed, Joel Chandler takes listeners inside the world of Florida’s Public Records Act to show how both citizens and government agencies can avoid the courtroom. Drawing from yea…
How to Make a Public Records Request – A Citizen’s Guide
In this practical episode of Unsealed, Joel Chandler breaks down the essentials of Florida’s Public Records Act and gives listeners a clear, step-by-step guide to making their own public records requ…
The Dozier School for Boys – Florida’s Forgotten Horror
In this powerful episode of Unsealed, Joel Chandler unpacks the brutal history of the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Marianna, Florida. For over a century, the reform school operated under the g…
The Public Housing Project – Predators, Power, and the Broken System
In this harrowing long-form episode of Unsealed, Joel Chandler takes listeners inside one of the darkest investigations of his career: Florida’s public housing authorities. What began in 2017 with a …
The Charter School Project – Florida’s Hidden Charter School Crisis
Joel Chandler investigates Florida’s charter schools and uncovers systemic violations of Sunshine and Public Records laws. What began as a simple request reveals a culture of secrecy, ghosting, and u…
Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals – What It Really Means for Power and Accountability
Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals has been called everything from the Devil’s playbook to a democracy saver. In this episode of Unsealed, Joel Chandler unpacks the myths, the infamous Lucifer epigrap…
Rules for Radicals: What They Are and Why They Still Matter.
In this episode of Unsealed, I crack open one of the most controversial books in American activist history—Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky. Depending on who you ask, it’s either a how-to manual fo…
Unsealed: The Charter School Project
It started with an unlikely coalition—a minister, a retired attorney, parents, and activists—all asking one question: What is really going on inside Florida's public charter schools?
In this deep-dive…
Rules for Radicals: What They Are and Why They Still Matter.
In this episode of Unsealed, I crack open one of the most controversial books in American activist history—Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky. Depending on who you ask, it’s either a how-to manual fo…