emails

31 Mar, 2014

News Sentinel: Ruling affirms broad definition of public records

By |2015-08-18T08:11:54-05:00March 31, 2014|Categories: email, public records lawsuits Tennessee|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

This editorial was published in the Knoxville News Sentinel on March 31. It is reprinted here with permission: Blount County Circuit Court Judge David Duggan struck a blow for open government this year by ordering Knox County to turn over nine emails that Law Director Bud Armstrong had deemed private. The News Sentinel had requested to see the emails, which were sent to or from county accounts, under the state’s Public Records Act. After Armstrong refused, the News Sentinel filed suit in October 2012, with attorney Richard Hollow handling the case on behalf of the newspaper and in the name of managing editor Tom Chester.   Judge David Duggan [...]

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6 Feb, 2014

The need for transparency with teeth: A lesson from Chris Christie

By |2014-04-09T16:54:16-05:00February 6, 2014|Categories: transparency|Tags: , , |0 Comments

We in Tennessee can learn something from the New Jersey bridge scandal that put Gov. Chris Christie who championed "transparency" now staring down accusations of violating the state's public records laws and otherwise working effectively to keep secret some legitimate information citizens deserve to know. The transparency movement is a good one. And there are great examples of local governments posting all levels of information for citizens, some of it quite useful such as agenda packets for upcoming meetings and financial information that allows citizens to better understand how their local government operates. It should continue and, in Tennessee, some guidance is provided in a recent report by the Tennessee Advisory [...]

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20 Jan, 2014

Judge affirms News Sentinel’s right to emails

By |2014-04-09T16:58:56-05:00January 20, 2014|Categories: email|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

A judge sided again with the Knoxville News Sentinel in an open records request for emails sent to or by county officials. Here is the full article, published by the Knoxville News Sentinel last week and reprinted here with permission: Judge: Knox County should turn over emails By Gerald Witt, Knoxville News Sentinel For the second time, a judge told Knox County legal staff Monday to turn over emails requested by the News Sentinel. Blount County Circuit Court Judge David Duggan said during a hearing that nine emails sent to or by county officials, including Mayor Tim Burchett, should be made public. In October, he directed the county to release the records, but Knox County Law Director Richard “Bud” Armstrong [...]

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14 Jan, 2014

Personal email accounts can hide government business

By |2014-04-09T17:00:41-05:00January 14, 2014|Categories: email|Tags: , , |1 Comment

Breaking Bad character Walter White uses a second cell phone to hide his meth business.                     The Associated Press published an insightful story by Jack Gillum on Saturday that shines light on the practice of government officials using personal email accounts to sidestep public records laws. In this case, a top aide to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie used her Yahoo email account to send messages about closing bridge lanes to an official with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The closure resulted in huge traffic backups and is being viewed as politically motivated payback to [...]

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