In mid-October, The News & Observer requested communications from all 170 members of the North Carolina General Assembly, after GOP state lawmakers moved to shield all former and current legislators from having to comply with the state’s public records law.

Reporting this story involved several steps: filing initial requests, following up with lawmakers, reviewing and processing their records, and publication. Here’s a breakdown of what went into this story.

Stick around after the break for our picks for Headliner of the Week.

Host: Dawn Vaughan

Guest: Avi Bajpai

Executive Producer: Laura Brache

Want even more North Carolina politics news? Our Under the Dome newsletter dives deep into all things #ncpol and legislative happenings. It’s sent to your inbox Tuesday to Friday and Sunday. Sign up here.

Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to The N&O. If you’re already a subscriber, thank you!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices