From Sawyer County Record: The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), a Madison-based research and reporting group, is currently in settlement negotiations with the state attorney general's office over an open records case.
[…]
Read More… from The Center for Media and Democracy may settle open records case
From San Francisco Chronicle: MILWAUKEE (AP) — The top lawmaker in the Wisconsin Assembly said he favors expunging unproven charges from the state’s online court records system but expressed reservations about another bill limiting access to pending cases.
[…]
Read More… from Wisconsin assembly leader backs online court records limits
From Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Legislators are talking once again about limiting what the public can see on the state court system’s free online database.
Generally speaking, this is unnecessary meddling. This important public information system works well.
[…]
Read More… from Editorial: More CCAP meddling by legislators
From Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council: Sandy Whisler was surprised to see her name appear on the Wisconsin State Journal’s editorial page — not in a letter to the editor, which she sometimes writes, but in a Nov. 20 editorial.
[…]
Read More… from Bill Lueders: Lawmaker contacts shouldn’t be secret
From Wisconsin State Journal: Gov. Scott Walker eventually got it right — after being sued.
Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, got it wrong and is still being challenged in court.
Sen. Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, wasn’t even close in her latest response to an open records request.
Too many elected officials in Wisconsin are blacking out information on public documents for no good reason.
[…]
From Portage Daily Register: The First Amendment is very clear in its 45 words that it protects a “free press” along with our rights to religious freedom, free speech and the rights to assemble and petition.
But the founders, in effect, placed a responsibility on that free press in return for being the only profession named in the Bill of Rights: The news media were to be a “watchdog on government,” providing us with the facts, perspective and sometimes contrarian views that help citizens better chart the course of their government.
[…]
Read More… from Gene Policinski: John Doe cast tests press freedom
From Journal Sentinel: The secret investigation into the Milwaukee County executive’s office is over — over for more than seven months now. But thousands of Milwaukee County documents and emails that were part of the inquiry remain secret.
That simply should not be.
The Journal Sentinel is seeking these documents on behalf of the public. The county records belong to the citizens of Milwaukee County, and the citizens of Milwaukee County have a legal right to know what’s in them.
[…]
Read More… from Editorial: John Doe records should be released
From NFOIC: A few state FOIA and local open government news items selected from many of interest that we might or might not have drawn attention to earlier in the week. While you're at it, be sure to check out State FOIA Friday Archives.
[…]
Read More… from NFOIC’s State FOIA Friday for October 11, 2013
From The Chippewa Herald: A group of media outlets and organizations advocating for freedom of information filed a motion Tuesday in the Wisconsin Court of Appeals aimed at ensuring that records involving a former aide to Scott Walker are not kept secret.
[…]
Read More… from Media companies seek to intervene in ‘John Doe’ case
From Fort Mill Times: WASHINGTON — Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), issued the following statement today applauding the Wisconsin Senate for passing legislation promoting transparency and limiting contingency fees when the state attorney general, an executive branch agency, or elected officials hire outside private plaintiff attorneys to represent the state. The legislation, the Transparency in Private Attorney Contracting Act (AB 27), now heads to Governor Scott Walker for his signature.
[…]
