Tribune wins James Madison Freedom of Information Award for Paso investigation
The Tribune has won a James Madison Freedom of Information Award from the Society of Professional Journalists for its investigation of Paso Robles Councilman Chris Bausch and the ensuing lawsuit that forced him to turn over public records held on his private devices.
This year, the Northern California chapter of SPJ, which describes itself as being “dedicated to preserving the free press as a cornerstone of our democratic society,” honored “a list of sunshine and First Amendment champions” with a total of 14 awards.
The Tribune’s award recognizes the work of individual newsrooms fighting for freedom of information.
“It’s a true honor to receive this award because it recognizes a core mission of American journalism, which is to defend the First Amendment against all comers,” Tribune editor Joe Tarica said. “This story had many twists and turns, but in the end, it was about one public official trying to conceal public records and put himself above the law.”
How The Tribune chased the Chris Bausch story
Over the course of nine months from October 2024 to July 2025, Tribune reporters Chloe Jones and Sadie Dittenber wrote more than 30 stories about allegations that Bausch and others conspired to drive then city manager Ty Lewis from his job as the city’s top administrator.
Lewis accused Bausch of creating a hostile workplace and working with Cal Coast News reporter Karen Velie and others to spread rumors and ruin his reputation.
As part of its investigation, The Tribune filed 19 Public Records Act requests for documents held by various councilmembers and city officials related to Lewis’ accusations, only to have Bausch stubbornly refuse to cooperate.
With no other options left to advance its reporting, The Tribune ultimately sued Bausch and the city, and in an unusual turn of events, the city itself also sued its own councilman when it became fed up with his intransigence.
In April 2025, Judge Michael Kelley ordered Bausch to complete the searches of his records and ultimately turn over 4,500 texts and emails held on his private devices, hidden from the city and his constituents in violation of California law.
As part of an eventual settlement, the city also ultimately agreed to release the executive summary of the investigative report into Lewis’ claims — which backed up many of his allegations — and pay the full $250,000 bill for The Tribune’s attorneys’ fees.
In addition to prying loose Bausch’s records, the reporting also showed that the problem Paso Robles faced was likely not unique to that city.
One story revealed that local governments have wildly varied policies for handling public records on private devices, ranging from strict to nonexistent.
This story was originally published February 18, 2026 at 12:32 PM.
