Auditor: Governor cites First Amendment as reason to deny Sunshine Law requests

NEW BLOOMFIELD — State Auditor Nicole Galloway is seeking a ruling from the state attorney general on whether the Governor’s use of the First Amendment to deny access to information under the Sunshine Law is legal. If it is, Galloway says the Missouri Sunshine Law would be effectively rendered unconstitutional.

In her request for a legal opinion, Galloway asserts that Governor Mike Parson has redacted information about the identities of people wanting to conduct business with, or lobby, the office of the Governor, claiming that the First Amendment protects the information. According to Galloway, the Governor claims that people who wanted to influence his office or otherwise do business with the office would be less willing to do so if their identities were known. (Read More Here…)