National Freedom of Information Coalition

Open government champion Robert Johnson dies

By SUE MAJOR HOLMES
from Forbes.com

Johnson helped start the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Robert H. "Bob" Johnson, a champion for open government and a former Associated Press executive who during a 42-year career wrote AP's first bulletin on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, has died. He was 84.

After retiring from the news cooperative in 1988, Johnson helped start the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government and made a new career out of fighting for public access to government meetings and records.

Johnson suffered a stroke Saturday morning as he prepared to go to work at the foundation, where he served as executive director. He died later that evening.

"He was a workaholic all his life, and was right up to the end," said his wife, Luise Putcamp Johnson.

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