AZ GOP exempts themselves from the public records laws

[Gateman_Wen]

The exemptions from public records laws and the ability to destroy emails after 90 days apply to both chambers. The state House, however, also adopted new rules allowing its members and their staff to immediately delete all texts sent and received, as well as calendars and “communications on online platforms.” The new Senate rules shields texts related to official government business from public records laws if they have been sent or received on nongovernment devices.

The state’s public records law requires that “all officers and public bodies” officials retain records and correspondences “reasonably necessary or appropriate to maintain an accurate knowledge of their official activities and of any of their activities that are supported by monies from this state” indefinitely and to comply, with some exceptions, with public records requests promptly after they are submitted.

You might almost think they were preparing to commit a crime or two...

Arizona’s GOP legislators vote to shield themselves from public records laws

The new rules adopted by both GOP-led chambers of the state Legislature effectively make investigations into any potential wrongdoing far more difficult.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Mr Person]

Look into who's exempted in MA . . .

I once had an interesting experience. We were requesting any training material on how to respond to requests by an arrestee for an attorney. One county told us that they would not, citing in part one of the provisions of the statute we can call "list of bullshit excuses." The excuse in question is that disclosing the information - how to respond to a request for an attorney - would hamper the operation of the department.

The appeal of course didn't change this result. But yeah. Kinda jaw-dropping.

 

[beefheart]

It won't last...

 

[Gateman_Wen]

Look into who's exempted in MA . . .

I once had an interesting experience. We were requesting any training material on how to respond to requests by an arrestee for an attorney. One county told us that they would not, citing in part one of the provisions of the statute we can call "list of bullshit excuses." The excuse in question is that disclosing the information - how to respond to a request for an attorney - would hamper the operation of the department.

The appeal of course didn't change this result. But yeah. Kinda jaw-dropping.

winning the appeal doesn't help if the information has already been destroyed though.

 

[Craig234]

Which party was behind this corruption and crime act? It's hard to guess.

 

[Craig234]

It's interesting how important and underappreciated one of the laws passed in the greatest sessions in US history, LBJ's, is, the Freedom of Information Act. That has been how the media and researchers have learned huge amounts about the government, who knows its effect on deterring behavior it's known will get exposed. The act is critical to our governance and accountability, but wasn't in the constitution or American history until then.

If this sounds like gushing for LBJ, on some things he deserves it but he didn't want to sign this law. I think it was pushed by Bill Moyers, who deserves a lot of credit for better government - I think he was also the pusher behind PBS and NPR.

 

[btthegreat]

It's interesting how important and underappreciated one of the laws passed in the greatest sessions in US history, LBJ's, is, the Freedom of Information Act. That has been how the media and researchers have learned huge amounts about the government, who knows its effect on deterring behavior it's known will get exposed. The act is critical to our governance and accountability, but wasn't in the constitution or American history until then.

If this sounds like gushing for LBJ, on some things he deserves it but he didn't want to sign this law. I think it was pushed by Bill Moyers, who deserves a lot of credit for better government - I think he was also the pusher behind PBS and NPR.

LBJ is one of the most complicated and misunderstood figures in American political history. There are no easy answers to an LBJ question.

 

[Razoo]

You might almost think they were preparing to commit a crime or two...

Arizona’s GOP legislators vote to shield themselves from public records laws

The new rules adopted by both GOP-led chambers of the state Legislature effectively make investigations into any potential wrongdoing far more difficult.

www.nbcnews.com

The party of law breakers ............are they going to over throw the Arizona state government? What do voters think about this? Is it illegal?