People Love to Complain About Corruption

Chaz Stevens, CLE Faculty.
February 5, 2026
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But Complaints Don’t Create Records “They’re all crooked.” That line shows up in Deerfield Beach conversations every election cycle. Then interest fades. No filings. No follow-ups. No paper. Alleged corruption survives outrage because outrage leaves no record. Complaining Is Cheap Accountability Is Procedural Public criticism can sting. Sometimes it carries social cost. But sustained accountability requires something else. Time. Process.

by Chaz Stevens, CLE Faculty

People Love to Complain About Corruption

But Complaints Don’t Create Records

“They’re all crooked.”

That line shows up in Deerfield Beach conversations every election cycle.
Then interest fades.

No filings.
No follow-ups.
No paper.

Alleged corruption survives outrage because outrage leaves no record.

Complaining Is Cheap

Accountability Is Procedural

Public criticism can sting.
Sometimes it carries social cost.

But sustained accountability requires something else.

Time.
Process.
Follow-through.

Complaining vents pressure; procedure applies it.

Malicious Compliance Is the Point

I don’t ask City Hall to behave better.

I ask it to comply.

Public records requests.
Statutory deadlines.
Invoices.
Time logs.

The system, exactly as written.

The law is my megaphone.

Outrage Is Weather

Records Are Climate

Institutions often weather anger.
Documentation is harder to dismiss.

Records can force searches.
Searches often force explanations.
Explanations can create liability.

Outrage passes; records accumulate.

Social Media Feels Like Action

It Rarely Is

A post feels powerful.
A comment feels defiant.

Then the feed refreshes.

In my experience, City Hall tends to respond to what it must answer, not what it can ignore.

If it doesn’t require a response, it’s rarely effective pressure.

What Accountability Actually Means

I’m not promising handcuffs.

I’m creating paper trails.

Disclosures that can narrow deniability.
Artifacts others can use.
Records that remain available.

That’s how individual pressure becomes institutional memory.

Accountability starts by removing the option to pretend.

Consistency Is the Advantage

I appear to be one of the few people in Deerfield Beach who does this repeatedly.

File.
Pay.
Follow through.

Quietly.
Relentlessly.

Systems tend to fear persistence more than criticism.

Results Over Performance

I don’t need applause.

I need the work to continue.

Share it so it stays visible.
Fund it so it can keep going.
Support it so it doesn’t stand alone.

DONATE TODAY!

Records outlive outrage.

FAQ SECTION

Why doesn’t complaining about City Hall work?

Complaints fade. Records remain.
Institutions are built to absorb criticism, not documentation. Public records force formal responses and create permanent artifacts.

What actually forces accountability in local government?

Process.
Public records requests, statutory deadlines, and documented follow-through create obligations officials must answer.

Is filing public records requests effective?

It can be.
Requests create searchable trails, cost staff time, and remove plausible deniability—especially when used consistently.

Isn’t social media activism enough?

Rarely.
Posts don’t require a response. Records requests do.

What is “malicious compliance”?

Using the law exactly as written to force institutions to comply with transparency requirements—without speeches or outrage.

How to Hold City Hall Accountable Using Public Records

Step 1: Identify a Specific Question

Target decisions, approvals, or communications—not broad fishing expeditions.

Step 2: File a Statutory Records Request

Use the law as written. Cite deadlines. Request electronic format.

Step 3: Track Time and Responses

Log staff hours, invoices, delays, and explanations.

Step 4: Preserve the Record

Save responses. Archive emails. Keep artifacts usable by others.

Step 5: Apply Pressure Lawfully

Share documentation, not outrage. Paper trails outlast headlines.


About the Author
Image
Chaz Stevens is the founder of REVOLT Training and a longtime public-records strategist focused on forcing accountability through process, not protest. His work has triggered policy reversals, criminal prosecutions, and national media coverage by weaponizing bureaucracy, public records laws, and First Amendment doctrine against institutional dysfunction.

Learn more about him on Wikipedia.
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"What makes Chaz especially powerful is that his activism forces people to think—about power dynamics, institutional contradictions, and our collective responsibility to speak out. He doesn’t just push the envelope; he sets it on fire to make his point."

"In Florida, where critical voices are often silenced and sanitized, Chaz Stevens is a powerful reminder that disruption isn’t just necessary—it’s democratic."

Anna Eskamani, Florida State Representative

"Satan Loves the First Amendment. Broward Schools Didn’t."

"The Church of Satanology, run by the Ministry of Chaz the Bropostle, is a more political, constitution-based effort than it is an actual religion. "

Lianna Norman, USA Today

"This “Bite Me Greg” Activist Wants Them in Arabic With a Dash of Satanism."

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Riya Misra, The Barbed Wire

"Council Braces for Flag Lawsuit Showdown."

"I think [Church of Satanology] is just nudging us to make the correct separation of church and state."

Torrington, CT City Council member Stephan Ivain

"The Law is on His Side."

“This letter was sent to poke the city in the eye for its poor choices ... [Chaz] knows what he's doing and the law is on his side.”

Attorney and Hartford, CT councilmen Joshua Michtom

"Stop Flag Propaganda."

"To help save it from itself, Connecticut could use a few more gadflies like T. Chaz Stevens."

Chris Powell, Columnist, CT Examiner

"It’s peaceful, it’s not violent."

"CHAZ STEVENS, the leader of Revolt Training, is heading out to Fort Lauderdale with 11 other protestors to — wait for it — wear inflatable male genitalia costumes paired with masks of Trump’s face."

Stevens said, "We are there smiling and taking pictures and it’s the absolute essence of our constitutional rights. Plus we’ll have a good time.”

Kimberly Leopard, Politico

“Provocative Activism That Gets Results Beyond Lawsuits.”

"As someone who has covered church/state separation for decades, I know that it's not always enough to make speeches or file lawsuits. Sometimes, you just need to grab the public's attention. No one does that better than Chaz Stevens."

"Yes, he's provocative. Yes, he can be abrasive. Yes, he often rubs traditionalists the wrong way."

"But here's the thing: He gets results. He demands attention through his unique brand of clever, funny, effective activism. That kind of public spotlight on a story can often do more than an entire cadre of lawyers. "

Hemant Mehta, editor of FriendlyAtheist.com

“Chaz Stevens Weaponizes Bureaucracy for Change.”

"As a media disrupter, guerrilla marketer, and all-around political gadfly, Chaz Stevens personifies John Lewis' idea of 'Good Trouble.' Few in Florida know more about weaponizing governmental bureaucracy to achieve tangible positive results."

"South Florida politicos have long admired (or feared) his sharp wit, savvy and doggedness — now, Chaz can show you the best, most effective way to get s**t done."

Phil Ammann, Journalist, Florida Politics

"A Relentless, Fearless, and Brilliantly Satirical Force."

"His unique brand of activism - equal parts performance art and legal precision has led to tangible change: public displays removed, policies reevaluated, and a growing awareness of the need for true governmental neutrality in matters of religion.”

Sharon Baron, editor of ParklandTalk.com

“Defending the Constitution, Not Your Feelings.”

"Chaz Stevens doesn’t care about you or your feelings because he’s defending the U.S. Constitution."

"And he’ll go to the mat to keep it unsullied by those who seek to defile it in the name of any agenda."

Anne Geggis, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist

"Sends Politicians Packing."

"There are those who don't know Chaz and those he sent to jail."

Aaron Nevins, GOP Consultant

"Diligent and Brutally Passionate."

"His pursuit of truth is intense and motivated. Love him or hate him, you must respect his work ethic and focus."

Commissioner Michael Udine, Broward County

"Disruption Isn’t Just Necessary—It’s Democratic."

"Chaz Stevens has always embodied a fearless, in-your-face style of activism that cuts through noise and demands attention. His work isn’t just provocative—it’s purposeful. Whether he’s challenging government hypocrisy, exposing corruption, or pushing the boundaries of free expression, Chaz does so with biting humor and unapologetic urgency."

"What makes Chaz especially powerful is that his activism forces people to think—about power dynamics, institutional contradictions, and our collective responsibility to speak out. He doesn’t just push the envelope; he sets it on fire to make his point."

"In Florida, where critical voices are often silenced and sanitized, Chaz Stevens is a powerful reminder that disruption isn’t just necessary—it’s democratic."

Anna Eskamani, Florida State Representative

"Satan Loves the First Amendment. Broward Schools Didn’t."

"The Church of Satanology, run by the Ministry of Chaz the Bropostle, is a more political, constitution-based effort than it is an actual religion."

Lianna Norman, USA Today

"Council Braces for Flag Lawsuit Showdown."

"I think [Church of Satanology] is just nudging us to make the correct separation of church and state."

Torrington, CT City Council member Stephan Ivain

"The Law is on His Side."

“This letter was sent to poke the city in the eye for its poor choices ... [Chaz] knows what he's doing and the law is on his side.”

Attorney and Hartford, CT councilmen Joshua Michtom

"Stop Flag Propaganda."

"To help save it from itself, Connecticut could use a few more gadflies like T. Chaz Stevens."

Chris Powell, Columnist, CT Examiner

"It’s peaceful, it’s not violent."

"CHAZ STEVENS, the leader of Revolt Training, is heading out to Fort Lauderdale with 11 other protestors to — wait for it — wear inflatable male genitalia costumes paired with masks of Trump’s face."

Stevens said, "We are there smiling and taking pictures and it’s the absolute essence of our constitutional rights. Plus we’ll have a good time.”

Kimberly Leopard, Politico

“Provocative Activism That Gets Results Beyond Lawsuits.”

"As someone who has covered church/state separation for decades, I know that it's not always enough to make speeches or file lawsuits. Sometimes, you just need to grab the public's attention. No one does that better than Chaz Stevens."

"Yes, he's provocative. Yes, he can be abrasive. Yes, he often rubs traditionalists the wrong way."

"But here's the thing: He gets results. He demands attention through his unique brand of clever, funny, effective activism. That kind of public spotlight on a story can often do more than an entire cadre of lawyers. "

Hemant Mehta, editor of FriendlyAtheist.com

“Chaz Stevens Weaponizes Bureaucracy for Change.”

"As a media disrupter, guerrilla marketer, and all-around political gadfly, Chaz Stevens personifies John Lewis' idea of 'Good Trouble.' Few in Florida know more about weaponizing governmental bureaucracy to achieve tangible positive results."

"South Florida politicos have long admired (or feared) his sharp wit, savvy and doggedness — now, Chaz can show you the best, most effective way to get s**t done."

Phil Ammann, Journalist, Florida Politics

"A Relentless, Fearless, and Brilliantly Satirical Force."

"His unique brand of activism - equal parts performance art and legal precision has led to tangible change: public displays removed, policies reevaluated, and a growing awareness of the need for true governmental neutrality in matters of religion.”

Sharon Baron, editor of ParklandTalk.com

"A Relentless, Fearless, and Brilliantly Satirical Force."

"Chaz Stevens doesn’t care about you or your feelings because he’s defending the U.S. Constitution."

"And he’ll go to the mat to keep it unsullied by those who seek to defile it in the name of any agenda."

Anne Geggis, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist

"Sends Politicians Packing."

"There are those who don't know Chaz and those he sent to jail."

Aaron Nevins, GOP Consultant

"Diligent and Brutally Passionate."

"His pursuit of truth is intense and motivated. Love him or hate him you must respect his work ethic and focus."

Commissioner Michael Udine, Broward County

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