The Drew Johnson Amendment

By Kleinheider Posted on December 17, 2008 at 2:10 pm

The Office of Open Records Counsel met today with its advisory committee to help shape policy to deal with folks who make frequent and multiple requests for public records:

Under the policy, records custodians may assess a fee for any labor reasonably necessary to produce the request after one hour. Requests for items that are routinely released and readily accessible, such as agendas or minutes, are exempt from the policy.

permalink | Comment on this post

Tags: Bill Hobbs, Drew Johnson, open government, open records, public records, Tennessee Center For Policy Research, The Office of Open Records Counsel  

Pigs That Don’t Fly Straight

By Kleinheider Posted on July 15, 2008 at 8:12 am

Andy Sher shares this report on the fallout which followed the release of a letter from the TNGOP’s Chairwoman to Governor Phil Bredesen regarding her service on Tennessee’s Human Rights Commission.

The TNGOP maintains that the release was a part of a coordinated smear effort. At issue is the inference by Post Politics that the letter could be seen as an effort by Smith to remain on the Human Rights Board:

In an interview Monday, Mrs. Smith and her communications director, Mr. Hobbs, said part of her charge about a “smear” was based on the suggestion she was trying to bargain for reappointment.

“You know what?” Mrs. Smith said. “I’m not going to get in the mud with the pigs because the pigs will enjoy it and I’ll get muddy, too.”

PREVIOUSLY:
The release
The reaction
A comedic performance
An accusation
An admission

permalink | 4 Comments

Tags: Bill Hobbs, hosser, Leave Robin Smith Alone!, public records, Robin Smith, smearbund, Tennessee Human Rights COmmision, TNGOP  

A Public Records Quid Pro Quo

By Kleinheider Posted on April 22, 2008 at 12:46 pm

Some of legislators want to know more about those clamoring for open government laws before they go voting on any legislation that would let you keep tabs on what they are up to:

Democratic Sens. Douglas Henry, of Nashville, and Jim Kyle, of Memphis, argued that groups like the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government and Common Cause of Tennessee should be required to give more comprehensive information about their memberships if they are to be added to an advisory panel on open government.

Frank Gibson, who heads the coalition, says he’s willing to give more details about his group’s members. The Associated Press is a member.

The Senate Finance Committee decided to put off a vote on the measure sponsored by Sen. Randy McNally, an Oak Ridge Republican, until Wednesday.

permalink | 1 Comment

Tags: Doulas Henry, Jim Kyle, open government, public records, quid pro quo, The Department Of Beeswax Not Yours