TNDP Made Public Records Request Of Smith Letter

By Kleinheider Posted on July 14, 2008 at 3:05 pm

From the word processor of Tom Humphrey:

NASHVILLE - The state Democratic Party has acknowledged obtaining an email that state Republican Chairman Robin Smith sent to Gov. Phil Bredesen through an open records request last month, then making copies available to others.

But Democratic Chairman Gray Sasser says the move was a matter of curiosity, not an attempt to smear or embarrass his Republican counterpart, as Smith has said.

In response to an inquiry from the News-Sentinel, Bredesen spokeswoman Lydia Lenker said that a review of records today shows that the Wade Munday, the state Democratic communications director, requested copies of any email to the governor from Smith on June 13. The administration provided the document on June 18, she said.

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Tags: Human Rights Commission, Leave Robin Smith Alone!, public records request, Robin Smith, TNGOP  

No Heads Up For Public Officials On Open Records Requests

By Kleinheider Posted on May 14, 2008 at 3:25 pm

From the AP:

A requirement to notify elected officials about records requests made about them is no longer part of a bill designed to improve access to public information.

Open government advocates had worried the notification rules would increase the cost of the records proposal and possibly kill the measure for the year.

A House subcommittee on Wednesday approved the change to the proposal sponsored by Rep. Steve McDaniel, a Parkers Crossroads Republican. It also approved a provision to allow records custodians to charge for searches that take longer than five hours.

But the proposal also directs the open records ombudsman to develop a reasonable fee schedule, which would become the statewide standard once it is approved.

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Tags: beeswax not yours, inc., ombudsman, open records, public records request