Open-Government Blog

City Settles Public Records Act Case for $175,000

2009-07-16T09:58:00.000-07:00

The City of Prosser, reports the Yakima Herald-Republic, settled a public records case for $175,000.

This is an expensive law to violate ... except when you can pay for it with other people's money (tax payers).

UPDATED (2) Jefferson County Loses Public Records Case Over Commissioner's Phone Records

2009-07-09T15:37:00.000-07:00

The Port Townsend Leader writes this story on a court ruling against Jefferson County which was attempting to withhold the public-phone system records of a county commissioner.

NOTE: Allied Law Group's Greg Overstreet and David Norman represented the records requestor.

UPDATE 1: The Peninsula Daily News writes this story on the case. And, no, the Public Records Act does not contain a "pizza privacy" exemption from disclosure. See RCW 42.56.001 - .904.

UPDATE 2: Scott Wilson, editor and publisher of the the Port Townsend Leader, writes this brutal editorial pointing out the folly of the County's "pizza defense." Good reading.

Putting Up Gates to Keep Public Requestors Out

2009-07-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

We're not making this up.

Thanks for the tip from a secret informant who we call "and Bernstein."

Televise the U.S. Supreme Court

2009-07-04T06:50:00.000-07:00

This editorial from The (Everett) Herald argues for the U.S. Supreme Court to do what the Washington State Supreme Court has done for years: televise oral arguments.

TVW here in our state deserves enormous credit for televising (and archiving) state Supreme Court arguments. People here are better connected to their judicial branch because of it.

Idaho Last in State Campaign-Finance Disclosure Laws

2009-07-04T06:43:00.000-07:00

The Spokesman-Review writes this editorial about the recent last-place finish of Idaho in a national survey of states' campaign-finance disclosure laws. Washington was near the top, again.

State Bar Journal Article About Og-Blog

2009-07-01T16:11:00.001-07:00

The Washington State Bar Association's Bar News has an article on og-blog (and other law blogs). Here's what it says about us:
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Why blog? "Simple," says Greg Overstreet, a principal of Allied Law Group. "It's fun, it's good for business, and it allows me to advocate for a right I care very deeply about." Based in Olympia, Overstreet runs the firm's Open Government Blog (http://www.og-blog.com/), reviewing news, legislation, and cases that involve the state's Public Records and Open Public Meetings acts. One of his primary reasons for the site is to "maintain the firm's profile among our client groups." The biggest surprise for Overstreet? "Our clients get hooked reading the blog."

Overstreet frequently gets calls from news reporters who need an expert quote for a specific dispute. Weeks later, he will hear from a potential client who read the newspaper story. The blog earns him a quasi-journalist status, with people sending tips and insider information about open-government issues from around the state. (A reporter once asked Overstreet to hold a story, telling him, "I can't get scooped by a blogger.")
__________________________________

Og-blog has been a lot of fun. Thanks for reading it. We know how many of you there are out there, and it's a bigger number than you'd think.

City of Monroe Open Meetings Questioned

2009-06-29T11:26:00.001-07:00

This story from the (Everett) Herald describes some unusual goings on at the City of Monroe, which has a bit of a track record of Open Public Meetings Act problems.

Thanks to a loyal og-blog reader who sent this to our attention.

City of Bellingham Withholding Train Accident Documents

2009-06-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

This story from the Bellingham Herald, via the (Tacoma) News Tribune, describes a fight to obtain public records about a train accident.

Judge Rules Gay City Employees' Names Can Be Withheld

2009-06-27T06:49:00.000-07:00

King County Superior Court Judge John Erlick ruled that a list of City of Seattle workers in a gay employees group can be withheld pending a full hearing on the case, reports the Seattle P-I.

Here is more background on the case and how it developed.

Judge Seals Records and Closes Courtroom

2009-06-24T17:22:00.000-07:00

The Port Townsend Leader has this story on the sealing of records in a murder trial and the closure of the courtroom.

(Longview) Daily News Editorial on Pres. Obama's Refusal to Disclose White House Visitor Logs

2009-06-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

We criticized President Bush for not releasing the White House visitor logs, so we join the (Longview) Daily News in criticizing President Obama for the same thing.

Here is background on President Obama's administratoin's refusal to release the records.

Jason Mercier Op-Ed on State Spending Database

2009-06-24T09:50:00.000-07:00

The state spending database is up and running.

Jason Mercier of the Washington Policy Center writes this op-ed on it in the (Tacoma) News-Tribune.

You might also be interested in the Evergreen Freedom Foundation's tax transparency web site, http://www.taxsleuth.com/.

Ken Bunting Op-Ed Piece on Open Gov't

2009-06-24T09:46:00.000-07:00

Ken Bunting, formerly of the Seattle P-I, writes this op-ed piece on open government for the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Feast or Famine

2009-06-24T07:48:00.000-07:00

As you might have noticed, sometimes there is one og-blog posting a week and other times three or four a day. It just depends on the material that's out there.

There's been lots lately.

Pres. Obama Breaking Pledge to Allow Public to See Bills For 5 Days Before Signing

2009-06-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

This story from the New York Times describes then-candidate Obama's pledge to allow the public five days to view a bill passed by Congress before the President signed it.

It's not working out that way.

Attorney General Blog on Open Gov't

2009-06-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

"Unredacted," the Attorney General's Office blog on open government, is up now. It is in a Frequently Asked Questions-style format and is very helpful.

You can find it at http://www.atg.wa.gov/Unredacted.aspx.

Here is some more information on Unredacted.

$500,000 Public Records Ruling ... Kind Of

2009-06-23T08:10:00.001-07:00

This story from The Olympian describes a ruling in Thurston County Superior Court of a Public Records Act judgment of over $500,000 against the state Department of Labor and Industries. But it was based on the Yousoufian decision on penalties, which was withdrawn by the Supreme Court. So it's in limbo.

UPDATED (2): Gay City Employees Try to Block Release of Their Names

2009-06-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

The Seattle P-I reports on a suit filed by gay City of Seattle employees to block the release of a roster of the Seattle Public Utilities "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Friends" group.

UPDATE 1: Here is more on the story from the Seattle Times.

UPDATE 2: The City, reluctantly, takes the position that the records are disclosable. Whether or not the City wants to release the records, this is the correct legal position. Give City Attorney Tom Carr credit where credit is due.

Yakima Open Gov't Forum on June 24

2009-06-23T07:59:00.000-07:00

If you're in the Yakima area, you might want to attend this.

(Everett) Herald Editorial on "Late Night Happy Hour" City Meeting

2009-06-23T07:32:00.000-07:00

The (Everett) Herald writes this editorial about a "late night happy hour" meeting of Mukilteo city council members.

Obama Criticized for Lack of Openness

2009-06-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

Newsweek's Michael Isikoff, who is not exactly a Republican, writes this about President Obama's openness record.

Supreme Court to Rehear Yousoufian Case

2009-06-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Seattle Times reports that due to the recusal of Justice Sanders the Supreme Court will rehear the Yousoufian case which clarified law on the penalties provision of the Public Records Act.

UPDATED: Supreme Court Quickly Orders Release of Federal Way Records

2009-06-13T05:42:00.000-07:00

Holy smokes. It only took the Supreme Court a week or so after oral argument to order the release of public records involving a Federal Way Municipal Court judge.

The story is from Washington Policy Center's blog.

UPDATE: Here is the TNT story on the release, including a link to the document they fought so hard to get.

Spokesman-Review Editorial on Copying Charges

2009-06-12T13:55:00.001-07:00

The Spokesman-Review writes this editorial on the City of Spokane's decision to not impose (illegally high) copying charges for public records.

TNT Editorial on Federal Way Municipal Court Records

2009-06-11T14:35:00.000-07:00

The Tacoma News-Tribune writes this editorial calling for the release of public records from the Federal Way Municipal Court. A judge of that court is suing the TNT to block the release of the records.